It Takes Two
by LotornoMiko
Summary: A alternate version of the episode,Lotor's Clone.When dealing with clones,one should take the utmost care to make sure it's lacks any free will,thoughts or desires...and never let it view upon the lovely holder of your heart.Upped rating for A&L action!
1.

World Event Productions still own Voltron and all related characters. And yes, I still would like to be the one to own Lotor. WEP can keep the rest, just give me my blue beefcake! ^_-  
As for the story itself, it has it's origins in a certain Voltron episode, the one that introduced Lotor's clone. It is indisputably, the one episode that drives me absolutely batty, with all of it's inconsistencies. Since when is Lotor a coward, afraid to fight his own battles?! They spend so many episodes hailing his tough guy image, establishing him as the ultimate warrior of the Galaxy, only to forget this detail? Not only was the reason for the clone's existence wasted, but so was the clone! So, it's my turn to try and work some fanfic magic. Enjoy!  
----Michelle  
  
  
  
"No more." King Zarkon, ruler of Planet Doom rose from his gold gilded throne. "I've had enough of your weak, foolish excuses, Lotor." His mouth twisted into a displeased grimace, as he stared down at his son. From this height, the features of the young prince was but a blur. But Zarkon knew what expression Lotor was wearing, what his son always seemed to display...anger. Eyes blazing in anger, sometimes a combination of fury and shame, a scowl decorating those lips, as he tried to repress his fury at being scolded for his countless failures on Arus.  
It WAS true that Arus was the only blemish on Lotor's record of accomplishments. Before encountering Voltron, Lotor had earned Zarkon many planets, their wealth and citizens being vast enough to spread out to encompass the entire galaxy several times over. But that did not matter to Zarkon at the moment. Past triumphs meant nothing to a man whose limited awareness could only focus in on the present. "Quit sending robeasts to destroy Voltron. You must do the job yourself!"  
"I know I've had....failures....father." Lotor knelt in submission at the base of the throne's dais, staring at his face in the reflective surface of the floor. "But I'm working on a new plan of attack that doesn't involve robeasts."  
"Let me guess...." Zarkon sighed. "You're going to try to capture that princess again. Use her to negotiate Arus' surrender."  
",,,,,,," Lotor was silent, for capturing Allura was ALWAYS his number one priority. But not so that Doom could acquire her planet. Oh no! That was just an added bonus. No, Lotor wanted Allura all to himself. How he'd love to spend some time alone with her, proving his undying love to the princess, and finally persuade Allura to marry him!  
Such ideas were an alien concept to Zarkon. He was always saying, "You don't marry for love, but for power!" But then again, when you looked like Zarkon, it was probably next to impossible to find someone to love you.  
"Even if you did managed to catch the princess, how will you hold onto her?" demanded Zarkon. "You'd have to get past Voltron, and they would never let you off planet with her onboard your ship."  
"True father, but only if they can form Voltron. Without Allura, they will be down one pilot."  
"They have dealt with similar situations in the past." retorted Zarkon. "Two will go out in the lions, while the others rescue the princess. They won't be shorthanded for long."  
Lotor inhaled sharply. Now that hurt. He knew his father had little confidence in him of late, but to be so sure they'd take Allura from him so quickly...."Even if they get Princess Allura back...." Which he would do his utmost to ensure would not happen. "They will still be short one pilot."  
"And how will you manage that?"  
"I will challenge their captain to a man to man duel." Lotor replied. "It will be child's play to defeat him. I will strike my winning blow....and KILL him!!"  
"Ki...Kill him?" Zarkon sounded surprised.  
"Yes." Lotor nodded his head firmly.  
"BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!"  
Lotor almost fell to the floor in shock. His father NEVER laughed.  
"Kill Captain Akira! HA!" Helpless with laughter, Zarkon collapsed onto his throne. "That's a good one! Even funnier is the thought of you being brave enough to challenge him!"  
"Father!" Angered, Lotor straightened up, breaking out of his submissive stance without permission. "I have fought Akira before!"  
"That was some time ago." Zarkon said, in-between what Lotor hoped was NOT giggles. It was disturbing to think of his father giggling like a school girl. "And you lost."  
"I did not lose!" Lotor's nostrils flared. "I beat him, and left him blinded, to bleed to death in that canyon!"  
"What a remarkable fast recovery he made then, to go from blind and near death, to being able to pilot Black Lion within minutes." retorted Zarkon.  
"It's an entirely different matter to sit in a chair and push a few buttons, then to go out and fight physically." Lotor calmed himself down with images of Keith bleeding all over Black Lion's control panel. He hoped Allura made Keith pay for the clean up out of his own pockets.  
"Speaking from experience eh?"  
Lotor flushed. How dare he?! He, who just sat on that throne all day, lording above all other's, never doing anything actively to contribute to battles! "I get out and fight, plenty of times!"  
"Usually just to chase after that princess." Zarkon said snidely. "And even then, at the first sign of trouble, you run away....like a dog with it's tail between his legs."  
"WHAT?!"  
"You heard me." sneered Zarkon. "You're a coward Lotor."  
"Why you...." Lotor started up the dais. "Arrogant, senile, old fool......!"  
"Oh, what are you going to do?!" demanded Zarkon. "Beat up on your OLD man? That'll show the world how brave you are!"  
Lotor paused. Patricide was not in his plans...not yet anyway. For one thing, with Zarkon dead, he'd have to take his place as ruler. It would leave him with a lot less time, and tons more paperwork. Having to take care of Affairs of State would leave him tied on planet...he'd have next to little chance of chasing after Allura!  
"The home world would throw a parade in my honor for getting rid of you, you miserable old fart!" hissed Lotor.  
"Name calling. How trite." Zarkon folded his arms across his chest. "So you're not only a yellow bellied coward, but an immature brat as well!"  
Glaring into Zarkon's eyes, Lotor's breath came out in angry little hisses. "I want to know when...."  
"Eh? Speak up, I can't hear you." Zarkon's teeth flashed, as he smiled. how he loved to goad his son to the brink of HIS death. He just knew Lotor would never actually lay a hand on him, and if he did....he had ways of dealing with his son's insubordination.  
"I said....." Lotor growled through his gritted teeth. "I want to know exactly when and where, I have shown this....this cowardice you speak of."  
"Hmph!" Zarkon looked away. "I don't have to answer to you! Besides...." He turned back towards his son. "Everytime you come home empty handed is proof enough."  
"That....that's it?" Lotor was almost whispering.   
"THAT'S IS ALL I NEED!" screamed Zarkon. "Do you know how it looks on ME to have once held all of Arus' captive, only to have lost it?"  
"Yes, well, you cannot blame me for THAT." Lotor smirked. "YOU bungled up the loss of Arus all by yourself, father. How does it feel to have no one to blame but yourself for such INCOMPETENCE?!"  
"You tread too far Lotor!" snarled Zarkon. "Know this! At least I held Arus for a time in my grasp! You cannot boast the same."  
"However, you cannot claim the defeat of Voltron for your own." retorted Lotor. "You may have taken Arus, but Hagger was the one who took care of Voltron for you."  
They angrily stared at each other, silence stretching out for an eternity.....or so it seemed.  
"Hmph!" grunted Zarkon. "Hagger will take care of Voltron for you as well, my cowardly son."  
"And I, my *beloved*, butterfingered father, will ensure you do not let Arus slip through our grasp once again, when you have that fertile planet beneath your fumbling fingertips." Lotor replied smoothly.  
"Right." Zarkon said, feeling like Lotor had one upped him in the insult department. "Go to Hagger. Your mind may be feeble, and rapidly deteriorating thanks to your late nights of drunken debauchery, but for once you may have stumbled upon an idea worth pursuing."  
****************************************************************  



	2. 

World Event Productions still own Voltron and all related characters. And yes, I still would like to be the one to own Lotor. WEP can keep the rest, just give me my blue beefcake! ^_-  
As for the story itself, it has it's origins in a certain Voltron episode, the one that introduced Lotor's clone. It is indisputably, the one episode that drives me absolutely batty, with all of it's inconsistencies. Since when is Lotor a coward, afraid to fight his own battles?! They spend so many episodes hailing his tough guy image, establishing him as the ultimate warrior of the Galaxy, only to forget this detail? Not only was the reason for the clone's existence wasted, but so was the clone! So, it's my turn to try and work some fanfic magic. Enjoy!  
----Michelle  
  
  
  
"Feeble mind, HA!" Lotor stormed through the castle halls. "I'll show him depths of dimwittedness he has never dared to dream of!" He would! If he had to swear on every single one of the Dark Gods, the people of Doom worshipped, he would find a way!   
Maybe he wouldn't kill his father....instead, when he was ready to ascend the throne, he'd poison him. Disable his body, leaving him a shell of his former self, with only his mind working, so he could experience and fully comprehend all of Lotor's wonderful accomplishments.   
If only he knew where to acquire such a senses debilitating drug.....Hagger would be of no help. She almost rarely assisted him in private manners. What help she offered with his pursuits of Allura, came at a high price. She wanted to rule Doom with him. Not as his Queen, she was not THAT deluded, but she still wanted the CO-ownership Zarkon had never delivered. And even if Lotor was willing to share his throne with the witch, he knew she would never plot against Zarkon. The little fool actually believed she was in love with the King!  
Too bad he had disposed of that other witch. What had been her name...he could not remember. There had not been much, if anything memorable, about her. Except...that she had given him a plant that was remarkably like one of Hagger's robeasts, AND a poison to give his ailing father. And all she had wanted in return was to take Hagger's position as Court appointed Sorceress.  
How foolish he had been to toss her aside! But he had been appalled at her suggestion to kill his father....he had still held some tiny shred of love for Zarkon back then. And even that love had betrayed him in the form of losing a most powerful ally indeed!  
"Just because we're foot soldiers, WE gotta take the blame for Lotor's blunders."  
"Hmmm?" Lotor paused, noticing the two guards by the doors of Hagger's laboratory.  
"Yeah!" scoffed one. "I wish we could RUN AWAY like he does, but we'd be charged with insubordination."  
Walking slow and carefully, so as not to make a sound, Lotor crept closer, his body pressed against the wall.  
"If he wasn't a prince, he'd surely would have been court marshaled by now! Perhaps even executed! The lucky coward!"  
"Being a prince has it's advantages." agreed the other one. "You get to hide behind your men, while they do all the dangerous work."  
"We risk our lives for him, just so he can stay alive AND look good while hiding!"  
An eavesdropping Lotor's cheeks flamed. It wasn't possible for his blue skin to turn scarlet, but it certainly tried. What was with everyone today? He had thought it was just his father, but now it seemed these guards had bought into this coward propaganda as well.  
He couldn't understand where all of this was coming from! He had never been one to run from a fight. Why if Voltron was a normal sized robot, he would have gone out, and fought it by himself. But it would be suicide to do such a thing...he was ant sized compared to the gigantic robot...it wouldn't do to be squashed like a bug! Surely his people saw the disadvantages in size! But then......so many forgot quickly about success in the face of failure. They and his father were so alike in that regard. He had to constantly prove himself, over and over again! All in order to retain favor.  
You'd think taking on six robeasts would be enough! Voltron had NEVER done that. And how the nobility of Druledom had cheered when he had leapt into the arena. The robeasts, while not anywhere near Voltron's height, had still towered over Lotor by almost eight feet! He had to fight them all on at once to the death. He had known his father wouldn't call them off if he had lost.  
He had even fought his father once in that same arena. He had been shocked to see how evenly matched they were, his helmet sliced in half, Zarkon's robes in pieces by the fight's end.  
Lotor had earned his reputation as the greatest sword master in all of the Denubian Galaxy. Through blood, sweat and tears. His enemies blood and sweat, their widow's tears. No one could match him in a fair fight. That time he and Prince Avok had fought...the little fool, taking on one robeast to prove his worthiness to become a monster that could defeat Voltron. Zarkon would have turned him into one, regardless of his skill. His father always enjoy any cruel diversions life tossed his way.  
And so Avok and Lotor had fought, and Lotor was prepared to strike Avok down, not as a mercy killing, but for his arrogance----the arrogance of believing he was a better fighter than Lotor----when it happened. His sword paused in the midst of a decapitating swing, for out of the corner of his eye, he saw golden hair. Allura, he thought, turning from a much relieved Prince Avok.   
He didn't even notice when his sword was knocked out of his hands by the redheaded prince. He didn't retaliate, didn't see the need, instead leaping into the crowd, intent on her. And was sorely disappointed to see on closer inspection it was not his angel. Same height, same shade of blue eyes, and gold for hair, but it was not Allura. The shape of the face was wrong, the lips thinner, the voice deeper. He would later learn Princess Romelle was a distant cousin of his beloved, explaining the slight resemblance she bore.  
He had always been appreciative of beauty, but never a sucker for a woman. Never that is, until he met Allura. if not for her, he would have won Arus on his first battle. And now, would not need to put up with this slanderous allegations of cowardice!  
He could still put a permanent end to such talk. Unleash full power on Blue Lion...but then.....she would die......and he with her. If his heart did not burst of it's own accord, he would plunge his sword into it. Perhaps then, they could be together, if not in life, than in death....He shook his head to clear away such melancholy thoughts.  
"Have you thought of defecting to Arus, or someplace else?" asked one guard.  
Lotor's eyes narrowed. Why should he care what traitors thought of him?  
"Not a bad idea!" exclaimed the other, enthusiastically.  
Enough skulking about, thought Lotor, a hint of a smile on his face. Time to scare these two, if not into respect, than into their own private taste of fear. "If you have nothing to do, I'll find something for you!" hissed Lotor. "Such as cleaning the INSIDE of a robeast's stomach!"  
With a gasp, the two guards snapped to attention. Straightening, they saluted him, heels clicking together. "Prince Lotor, sir!" They chorused.  
"We don't permit socializing while on duty." Lotor glared at them, and they gulped. "Too much chatter allows anyone to sneak up on you, even the nosiest person, say an old woman hobbling along on a cane could get pass you two unaware!" His scowl deepened. "And standing off to one side? Has your training taught you nothing?"  
The two guards jumped away from each other. "So...so sorry sir...."  
"You should be!" hissed Lotor. "At the very least, repentant! How are you to effectively guard this chamber from intrusion while staring into each other's eyes?!"  
"Er...ah...." They stammered stupidly.  
"I see you're in need of some severe retraining methods. Report to Morgor." Lotor glanced at their name tags. "I'll know if you have not. Well?" He tapped his foot impatiently, when they made no move to leave. "What are you waiting for?!"  
"Er....sire....we have to guard Hagger's laboratory until the next shift arrives." explained one.  
"What good will a bunch of lazy incompetents such as yourselves do her?" demanded Lotor. "GO! She will be safe in my care!"  
"Yes sire!" They saluted him again, and rushed off, tripping over their own feet in an effort to get away from the angry prince. So frightened were they, they did not speak, nor did they dare to breathe a sigh of relief until they were in front of Morgor's office.  
**************************************************************  
T.B.C.  
I made the soldiers real people instead of robots, cause I found it so stupid that in that ep, among a few others, all the supposed robots are hanging about gossping/bitching about their masters. Almost as stupid as that one ep, where they were hunting for food. Come on, is Lotor really gonna eat all that by himself? I bet in Japanese, the *robots* weren't making jokes about how stupid humans were compared to robots, but making comments about how stupid/inferior humans were to Drules. ^_-  



	3. 

World Event Productions still own Voltron and all related characters. And yes, I still would like to be the one to own Lotor. WEP can keep the rest, just give me my blue beefcake! ^_-  
As for the story itself, it has it's origins in a certain Voltron episode, the one that introduced Lotor's clone. It is indisputably, the one episode that drives me absolutely batty, with all of it's inconsistencies. Since when is Lotor a coward, afraid to fight his own battles?! They spend so many episodes hailing his tough guy image, establishing him as the ultimate warrior of the Galaxy, only to forget this detail? Not only was the reason for the clone's existence wasted, but so was the clone! So, it's my turn to try and work some fanfic magic. Enjoy!  
----Michelle  
  
  
  
"Oh Lotor!" Hagger turned and smiled at him. "You're just in time!"  
"Hagger." nodded Lotor, noting her smile and grimace looked remarkably the same. "My father said you were to assist me in my plan." He leaned over a bubbling green concoction, and wrinkled his nose in displeasure. Why must everything in her laboratory reek of dead hyena? "Although I don't see how. We will not be needing a special robeast to deal with only three lions."  
"I see he didn't fill you in." Hagger hurriedly snatched a vial out of Lotor's hands. "Typical!" She muttered. "Leaves me to not only do all the thinking, but the explaining as well!" She sighed. "Well....I guess he's ready for you to see this." She gestured for Lotor to approach the pit where she imbued her robeasts with power.  
"I knew it!" muttured Lotor disgustedly. "Another robeast!" He went to stand next to her, and was surprised. "Bubbles?!" He exclaimed in disbelief.  
"NO!" She exclaimed indignantly. "They're not bubbles!" Though on closer examination they did sort of look like bubbles...."That's DNA strands."  
"DNA?" Lotor frowned. Was he going to have to sit through a science lesson before going to get Allura?!  
"You're aware every living thing is composed of DNA strands?" asked Hagger. "In a way it is what gives you, your identity? Your body is composed of a mixture of your mother's and your father's unique genetic codes....."  
"I already know what DNA is, witch!" interrupted Lotor. "Skip the boring lecture and get to the point! Will this get me Allura?!"  
"Your father is not doing this to get the pretty princess, but to capture her planet." corrected Hagger.  
"Whatever!" retorted Lotor causing Hagger to smile tolerantly.  
"Ah, I do know how it is to be young and in love." Hagger cackled. "Your libido..."  
"You mean heart." interjected Lotor.  
"Whatever!" Hagger mimicked his early words. "Your emotions rule everything you do. But, if you put them aside to conquer Arus, you will eventually have all you desire."  
"I thought I told you to skip the lectures!" snapped Lotor.  
"Just like your father!" Hagger sighed. She could never find an appreciative audience for her words of wisdom, be it on battles of war, or of the heart. "It comes down to this.....the culture I took from you is growing."   
"Culture?" He interrupted. "When did you..." He paused, as a more important realization dawned on him. "That's MY DNA in there?"  
"Yes." She nodded. "Soon, we will have an exact duplicate. Another Prince Lotor!"   
"Another me?!" He exclaimed, aghast. "You're making a clone of me? Who gave you permission---never mind, I know it had to be my father......but....but WHY?!"  
"Oh....." She cackled, refusing to meet his eyes. "Seemed like a handy thing to have lying around. You know...just in case of...an accident..."  
"Right." He said, with a sour expression on his face. It seems he'd have to do some probing to find out if his father intended to replace him with a clone. Better take some preparations in case that was what the mad old coot really intended to do. From the corner of his eye, he spotted activity in the pit. "Something's happening Hagger!" Lotor suddenly gasped, seeing the water shake and swirl, the current's so fast, he could no longer see his DNA strands. "What is it?!"  
"It's beginning to form!" Hagger rushed forward, pressing against the glass. "I had to use my powers to accelerate the process. It wasn't to be ready for another three weeks, at least!"  
"You sped up the process?" repeated Lotor.  
"Yes. Within a few minutes we should know the results." Hagger cackled. "Prepare yourself for a shock Prince Lotor!"  
As the water cleared, a blurred image of himself appeared. Lotor gasped, stepping forward in morbid curiosity. It was him, and yet it was not. The skin a light purple, with lines and wrinkles all over, red spots with strands floating out of them. "It's a failure!" He pronounced. "An imperfect clone."  
"SHH!" Hagger concentrated on her magic, smoothing out the wrinkles, the spots vanishing, the skin shade turning azure. "Well Prince Lotor? What say you now?"   
"It's....it's better now...." He admitted grudgingly. "Of course. I'm much more handsome! No one came come close to the perfection that is I!"  
"I'll say!" Hagger sighed dreamily, openly admiring the nude clone.  
"Stop ogling me...er him, and get him out of there!" Lotor shouted. "I want him into a full set of clothes immediately."  
"As you wish, your highness." sighed Hagger in extreme disappointment  
**************************************************************  
"Unbelievable!" Lotor circled his clone, who was now dressed in one of his spare uniforms. "It's like looking into a mirror!"  
"Yes, sometimes I even amaze myself." preened Hagger. "He is not yet coherent, needing time to get over being *born*. But soon he will be twice as strong as you are, and know whatever you do."  
"Whatever eh?" Lotor frowned. "Just how extensive will this knowledge of his be exactly?"  
"A dumb clone would be a waste of space." Hagger explained. "Zarkon does not have the patience to wait for it to be educated in combat experience. Normally clones come to this world, with the barest of rudimentary skills. It wouldn't even know how to feed or relieve itself. I have used my magic to take care of all potential problems. I even tapped into your mind to give it....."  
"Playing with my mind." Lotor's sword was in his hands. "I ought to kill you where you stand for that effrontery, witch! My thoughts are private!!"  
"Now, now, Prince Lotor..." She backed into a wall. "They still are."  
"But you just said..." He hissed.  
"I said, whatever you know, he knows." She nervously eyed the lazon blade. "I established a direct mind link between you two. So you see Lotor...your thoughts are still safe from prying eyes."  
"Hmph!" He pulled away from her, but did not re-sheathe his sword.  
"With this mind link, you can also talk to him through a form of telepathy."  
Hagger explained, trying to get Lotor to look on the bright side of the mind link. "Give him orders within a distance just over 50 miles!"  
"Hmm, yes...I suppose that will come in handy." Lotor agreed. "But I'm still concerned about his thoughts...."  
"You shouldn't be. Unless you've got plans to do your father in." He turned on her sharply, so ful of anger, she instantly regretted making that *joke*. "Just kidding!" She added hastily.  
"Make no mistake about it witch. I do not concern myself with daydreams of killing my father." He lied convincingly. "It is my clone's interest in Allura that worries me."  
"AH!" Her eyes widen in realization. "Thoughts of the fair Princess Allura concern you! Fear not Lotor. He will know of your love for Allura, but will not share it."  
"But if he's an exact duplicate of me....."  
"Not an exact." She interrupted. "I made some improvements. He's ten times as ruthless as you are, has no compassion or kindness in him...you could say he's your worse half."  
"I don't think I like the sound of that." Lotor muttered." If he's so nasty, what if he turns that anger on Allura? What if he attempts to hurt her? It is what my father would wish in a perfect son."  
"That's why you need the mind link!" Hagger exclaimed. "If she looks like she's in danger, you can call him off."  
"I dunno.....I know how stubborn I can be!" admitted Lotor. "I hate taking orders from ANYONE."  
"Think Lotor! He won't be in charge of attacking the lions, so Blue Lion will be safe." explained Hagger. "Unleash him on Keith, or one of the other idiot boys, while you go after Allura. I know if you lose control of him, you won't shed any tears over the pilot's lives. Not..." She hastily amended. "....that you will have any control issues."  
"I better not. Or there will be Hell to pay!" He warned her. "Alert me when he is recovered. I wish to leave for Arus as soon as possible."  
*********************************************************************** 


	4. 

  
World Event Productions still own Voltron and all related characters. And yes, I still would like to be the one to own Lotor. WEP can keep the rest, just give me my blue beefcake! ^_-  
As for the story itself, it has it's origins in a certain Voltron episode, the one that introduced Lotor's clone. It is indisputably, the one episode that drives me absolutely batty, with all of it's inconsistencies. Since when is Lotor a coward, afraid to fight his own battles?! They spend so many episodes hailing his tough guy image, establishing him as the ultimate warrior of the Galaxy, only to forget this detail? Not only was the reason for the clone's existence wasted, but so was the clone! So, it's my turn to try and work some fanfic magic. Enjoy!  
----Michelle  
  
  
  
"Lotor...." Hagger entered the small space allotted for the Command Ship's gymnasium area. "What are you up to now? We are less than an hour away from Arus, and you're busy fooling around in here?!"  
"It's not fooling around Hagger, it's training." Lotor said, his spandex clad body, covered in a fine sheen of sweat.  
"It looks like useless exertion, when you should be conserving energy for the upcoming battle." Hagger said disapprovingly. "Both of you should be resting!"  
"I'm too excited to rest!" announced the clone. "It will be my very first battle!"  
"And my final triumph over those eggheaded goodie-two shoes on Arus!" The real Lotor chuckled. "Now is no time to be resting."  
"Yes, we will rest AFTERWARDS." The clone said, already savoring his inevitable victory.  
"Well, you can." Lotor's lips quirked into a smile, thinking of how once the battle was over, sleep would be impossible once he had Allura in his arms. "I'll be busy."  
"I'll bet." Hagger said frostily. "I would think that in anticipation of that...eh...event, you would be making careful preparations."  
"Oh, ye of little faith!" Lotor hooked a towel around his neck. "That's exactly what we're doing."  
"You are?"  
"Yes." The clone nodded his head. "I have to past one final test.....to prove my readiness for battle."  
"Oh...what sort of test?" asked Hagger.  
"Why explain, when I can show you." Looking more lively than she had seen him in months, Lotor walked towards the wall-com unit. "Cossack?" He spoke into the intercom.  
"Yes Prince Lotor?"  
"Send them in, we're ready for them."  
"Right away sire."  
"Send in who?" asked a confused Hagger. "Slaves?"  
"Slaves!" The clone frowned in distaste. "They present no challenge, those weak willed, simpering drones!"  
"I quite agree." Lotor grinned, as two very confused looking soldiers were ushered into the room. "Gentlemen!" With a wave, their escort was dismissed from the room. "I see Morgor saw fit to reassign you to my command. How are you enjoying space travel so far?"  
"It's...uh...a unique experience." One said, his face looking slightly greenish. An obvious case of space sickness.  
"Yes, we are grateful to serve under one such as you." brown nosed the other.  
"Such as me?" asked Lotor. "Whatever do you mean by that?"  
"A fine, fearless leader, wise in all his decisions, smart, charismatic, handsome, always impeccably dressed......"  
"Enough!" Lotor cut him off, rolling his eyes in annoyance. "Did you make that up on the spot, or do you practice that little speech beforehand?"  
"Wha.....what?" The soldier looked confused.  
"Never mind!" Lotor said, exasperated. "Just get over there." He pointed at the sparring ring. "Oh, and...." He gestured at a rack of weapons off to one side. "Feel free to choose any armaments you'd like." A snicker escaped past his lips. "Not that it will do you any good."  
Growing more confused by the second, they ignored the weapons display, climbing into the ring. "Uh sire...what is this about exactly?"   
"Oh, just a little lesson in exercises...." Lotor's smile was nasty. "Kill them."  
"With pleasure!" The clone grinned, and forward somersaulted into the ring.  
"Lotor, what are you doing?!" exclaimed Hagger.  
"Oh, don't get squeamish on me now, Hagger." Lotor said, watching in amusement as the hapless soldiers rushed to the weapon's rack.  
"I'm not!" She protested. "I'm just curious as to why you are wasting these men, without any just cause. It's so unlike you." Hagger frowned. They looked familiar...  
"I have reason enough." insisted Lotor. "And I do need to be assured that my clone can take the final step." added Lotor. "Be able to strike that killing blow......OH MY!!"  
"It appears that he can." breathed Hagger, eyeing the messy remains of one guard.  
"Even for a lazy, barely trained castle guard, that one died rather fast....didn't have much fight in him." Lotor watched impassively as the remaining, space sick one screamed in terror.   
"I say he's ready." Hagger said, as the screams literally died down.  
"Excellent!" Lotor said.  
The blood splattered clone was frowning. "Is that all they had to give me? How disappointing."  
"Hagger, send in a crew to clean up this mess." Lotor ordered. "We have to go change."  
"Got to look our best for Arus." agreed the clone.  
*******************************************************************  
Coran, chief advisor to Princess Allura, had been busy monitoring the Voltron force's training session, when all of the castle's computer equipment experienced a massive surge in power. "What in the world...." He murmured, as programs began failing, and all the energy readings went haywire. "I can't make heads or tails of this--OH!!" Unable to take the strain, a computer somewhere in the castle, exploded. The lights flickered, than went out completely. "BLAST! That was our energy core that just went out!"  
With a hum, the back up generators came on, dimly illuminating the control room.   
"Coran!" Princess Allura ran into the room, her four companions hot on her heels. "What's going on?"  
"All our ship's equipment went off the scale, and then back to normal, before dying out on us altogether! Are you testing something in here?" accused Keith.  
"What?!" Coran exclaimed, shocked. "The lion's have been affected as well?"  
"As well?" Pidge asked. "You mean there was a power breakdown in the castle too?" As if in reply to the Green Lion Pilot's question, the room suddenly plunged into darkness.  
"Oh no!" gasped Allura, just as the lights came back on.  
"Look!" Lance pointed at the room's huge viewscreen. "The monitor is coming on by itself!"  
Indeed it was, the large monitor, which took up enough space to warrant being called the fourth wall in the control room, was flickering to life, showing them.....  
"Another one of Zarkon's robeasts!" exclaimed Hunk, his hands curling into fists.  
It was ugly, even by robeast's standards, already having been blown up to giant status by Hagger's magics. It was also one of the few, non flesh and blood creatures Doom had sent, looking to be a gigantic robot. It was mostly colored gray, as steel plating was everywhere. Although it's arms were a black rubber material, leading down to claws, that at the moment were closed. Every so often it would pause, and the hands would unfurl like flower petals. It would orient on the castle, drawing out massive amounts of energy, which then fell down in red and blue sparks, setting fire to everything. If that wasn't bad enough, sticking on top of his head, were two gigantic dish like apparatus. They constantly swirled, sending out beams, that didn't seem to harm anything.....not yet anyway!  
"That....thing is setting up a forcefield!" exclaimed Coran, just before the monitor blew up. "And we're right dab smack in the middle of it!"   
"Why didn't our radar pick it up?" Keith asked, as palace guards rushed in with fire extinguishers.  
"That thing has it's own electro magnetic field. Quite obviously, it blocks out all our equipment, radars included.'" deducted Coran.  
"Then we better get out there, and take care of him, before he really starts to do some damage!" Hunk said.  
"We can't." Allura placed a hand on Hunk's shoulder.  
"Why not?" The Yellow Lion's Pilot demanded.  
"For one thing, it sucks out all power....without it, we can't even fly our lions, let alone use our weapons." explained Allura. "We'd just be sitting ducks out there!"  
"There has to be another way to defeat it! Come on team, THINK!" urged Keith.  
"Better do it fast." Coran said gravely. "Without a permanent source of power, the castle's forcefield will soon shatter. We won't be able to hold out once that happens."  
"I think I got the answer!" Keith turned, and ran out the room.  
"Wait! Keith!" exclaimed Allura. "What are you doing to do?"  
"Go under water, and catch up to the robeast before it reaches the castle!" replied Keith.  
"Not all alone!" gasped Allura, horrified.  
"Underwater, are you mad, or just plain stupid?" demanded Lance. "Right now, the robeast is still miles from the castle! You'll tire out long before you can reach him!"  
"Not if I use the underwater sleds!" Keith retorted. "They may not be much, but they're power cell operated. That robeast won't affect them, and hopefully I can then provide a distraction for you guys.....maybe even lead the robeast away!"  
"It's sheer madness! That's what it is!" Lance shook his head sorrowfully. "Must you take your hero complex to such extremes?!"  
"It's the only choice we got! It's all or nothing team!" Keith's eyes shined with his, "Good will always prevail!" belief.   
Lance sighed. "Well...it's your life to throw away....."  
"I think I can repair the other sleds....." Pidge spoke up. "Then we can go out and help you."  
"Oh great." Lance rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Group suicide. Just how I always wanted to die."  
***************************************************************** 


	5. 

  
World Event Productions still own Voltron and all related characters. And yes, I still would like to be the one to own Lotor. WEP can keep the rest, just give me my blue beefcake! ^_-  
As for the story itself, it has it's origins in a certain Voltron episode, the one that introduced Lotor's clone. It is indisputably, the one episode that drives me absolutely batty, with all of it's inconsistencies. Since when is Lotor a coward, afraid to fight his own battles?! They spend so many episodes hailing his tough guy image, establishing him as the ultimate warrior of the Galaxy, only to forget this detail? Not only was the reason for the clone's existence wasted, but so was the clone! So, it's my turn to try and work some fanfic magic. Enjoy!  
----Michelle  
  
  
  
The robeast slowly stomped it's way towards the Castle of Lions, seeking to attack it's all too vulnerable rear. It was currently making it's way through the ravine, intending to climb up the cliff side. It might be an odd vantage point for attack, but the forces of Doom had tried many times before the head on approach from the forest, and had failed. It was time to add a little variety in their plans.  
Parked atop the craggy rock surface of the ravine, was Lotor's ship. With wine goblet in one hand, he stood by the window pane, watching the robeast's progress with his own eyes. "Hagger! What's taking so long?"  
"Patience, young highness!" She hurried to his side. "They will come out soon enough."  
"They better." Lotor said. "Or else my robeast will crush them where they hide! Cowering little insects! Take away the power of the lions, and suddenly they don't know what to do!"  
"They have grown weak with their easy victories....soft and compliant in their all too fragile freedom..." agreed Hagger. "They have all but forgotten what it is like to fight on their own merits." She cackled. "They're about to get a harsh reminder! They will learn first hand how easily breakable bones can become, how flesh can be torn without the protection of Alfor's cursed armor!"  
"And then, Arus and Allura will be mine!" Lotor took a sip of his Tyrusian brandy. "It will happen soon enough....either they face my clone head on, or the robeast will crush them in their holes. Either way, I win!" He broke out into laughter. Hagger laughed too, though she felt a twinge of disappointment over the thought of not getting to see the clone in action.  
"There is movement in the river!" One of the crewman shouted excitedly.  
"Good!" Lotor turned from the window. "Bring it up on the viewscreen." Naturally Hagger had infused the ship with magics to be immune from the robeast's disrupter waves. "Magnify the image to 79.5 percent."  
The river, a mere line beforehand, quickly grew in size, soon filling the entire screen with it's rippling blue surface. And there beneath the swirls and current, was a dark shadow, moving rapidly, just beneath the surface.  
"A fish perhaps?" suggested Hagger.  
"No....it's the length of a human." pointed out Lotor.  
"It could just be a really big fish." She insisted.  
"No, it's one of THEM." Lotor said. "I KNOW it is! My gut instinct screams out to me, it is one of those wretched pilots!"  
"Looks like your instincts are right!" Hagger exclaimed, as a red and white helmeted head broke through the surface.  
"Look who's the first to greet us!" Lotor grinned with anticipation. "Captain Keith Akira! I couldn't be more delighted!"  
"The brave fool will be the first to die!" hissed Hagger. "Lotor! Tell your clone to take him out! He'll learn how foolish it is to think he can face one of my robeasts all alone!"  
"Clone! I command you!" Lotor ordered his clone via the mind link. "Gut him like the fish he pretends to be!"  
The clone, who had been riding atop the robeast's shoulder, smiled viciously. "At last! Some action! I was beginning to think they were all cowards!" He put on a pair of bino-goggles, searching out his target. "Only one?" He scowled, feeling cheated. He felt he could take on a hundred men at once! "Very well then. This eager young lad will have the honor of being the first to die!"  
He gripped the spear in both hands, point downwards, tracking the swimmer's movements. "It's over!" he screamed, as he threw the spear with lethal accuracy at it's mark.  
"This is just great, Keith!" The young captain thought to himself. "You were so busy showing off what a hot shot you are, you rushed out of the castle without any semblance of a plan! Now WHAT are you going to do?" He cautiously poked his head out of the water, staring in dismay at the robeast. "That thing is HUGE! Forget about stopping him---how am I even gonna get his attention?!"  
A muffled whistling sound just barely alerted him to the attack. Turning, Keith saw the jagged edge of the spear barreling towards his face. "Shit!" He screamed, ducking underwater. With only seconds to react, he made a desperate grab at the sled, and braced it before him as a shield.  
The spear slashed through the metal as though it was cheap plastic. The sled was ruined, and the spear stopped...barely. The point had almost made it completely through, managing to slice open his right cheek. Seeing the water around his face dilute in color, he realized just how lucky he had been to survive.  
Tossing aside the ruined sled, he began paddling for the shore, not daring to break to the surface. He'd have to eventually....and whatever had tossed that spear, would be waiting for him....  
"I.....missed?!" exclaimed the clone incredulously, as his bino-goggles showed the human still swam. "No....I got him...." He smirked, seeing the spear emerged, along slightly reddish water, and the wreckage of the pilot's apparatus.  
"Hmmm...." The clone felt a flicker of interest in this pilot. "He may prove a challenge after all!" He leaped off the robeast's shoulder, landing on it's right hand. Pushing off, he hit the hip, only to rebound onto the left knee, before somersaulting onto the ground. He landed in a crouch, just where the water washed up onto the soft ground.  
A hand emerged from the river, scrabbling for purchase. It found it, finger's sinking into the moist sand, as another hand joined it. He was just straightening out, when Keith's face emerged.  
"Lotor!" He gasped, staring up at the evil Prince. Lotor didn't reply, his lips twisted into a smirk, as he reached up, removing the bino-goggles.  
"I thought you only sent robeasts to do your fighting!" Keith hissed, pushing back into the water.  
"Why do you run?" demanded the clone, pushing back his hair from his face. "Are you that much of a coward?"  
"COWARD?!" Keith bristled in anger. "You're the coward, Lotor! Always sending others to do your dirty work!"  
"Well, I'm here now." The clone tossed the bino-goggles onto the ground. "Come out and fight me!"  
"No way!" protested Keith, moving out to deeper waters. "Think I don't know your game, demented prince? You just want me to get close enough so you can hold my head down, and drown me!"  
"With such irrational fear, how did he ever even manage to leave the castle?" The clone muttered.   
"I knew he was scared of me!" Lotor sounded ecstatic with triumph. "Our two battles must have affected him more deeply than I thought!"  
"Send the clone in after him." advised Hagger. "It's not as though he's water resistant."  
"I was just getting to that." Lotor gave her a withering look.  
"If you don't come out, I'll go in after you." The clone's smile was getting creepier by the second to Keith.  
"Fine, fine!" I'm coming up....just....just move away a bit from the shore." Keith snapped.  
With a loud sigh of exasperation, the clone moved away as *requested.* "Now..." He said, hands on hip, foot tapping impatiently. "No more excuses!"  
"Okay..." Keith looked doubtfully at his arch-nemesis. "I'm coming...HEY!!" Suddenly, Lotor turned and darted out into the water. Keith began paddling out of the way, before realizing Lotor hadn't come anywhere near him. Instead the Prince plucked the spear out of the water, and turned towards Keith.  
Cursing up a storm, Keith lurched out of the water, scrambling onto the river bank.   
"Thought this would make you feel more at ease!" The prince shouted, smirking gleefully.  
"GAH!" Keith attempted to crawl away, as once again the spear was hurled straight at him.  
** THWANG!! **  
White as a sheet, Keith stared at the spear that was planted firmly in the ground---right between his legs, a mere centimeter away from his crotch. He became aware of Lotor's laughter, and his face burnt red with shame.  
"LOTOR! YOU'LL PAY!" He leaped to his feet, yanking the spear out of the ground.  
"Such a jumpy, DELICATE thing you are!" The clone's eyes danced in amusement. "How did you ever get to be Arus' so called greatest warrior?"  
"YARGH!!" He was almost beyond speech, so full of fury at the moment. Keith ran at Lotor, swinging the spear around to chop off his grinning head.  
Lotor neatly avoided it, still laughing all the while. "I see the playing field has not been evened out with the allowance of your having a weapon."  
"SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" Turning, Keith struck again, and again, never coming anywhere close to harming the clone.  
The clone was having an increasingly hard time holding in his amusement at the pilot's feeble attempts at murder. "THIS is what has been giving Doom such a hard time?!"  
"That's right!" hissed Keith, thinking the clone was talking to him. "Allow me to introduce you to one of 'em!" He brought up his fist, intending to give Lotor a hard right in the nose.  
Lotor caught him by the wrist, easily stopping him. Growling, Keith's left hand brought up the spear, and Lotor yanked it out of his grip.   
"ARGH!!" Keith tried to hit him with his now empty left hand. In reply, Lotor applied pressure to the right, the bones making creaking noises, as they slowly began to snap. "As I had been saying...." The clone smirked, as he wrenched out another scream from Keith with a small squeeze.  
The young captain was weak with pain, his eyes tearing, as his legs gave out, unable to support him. But he did not fall. Instead, Lotor held him up, using the hand he was ruining to keep him aloft. It was all Keith could do to remain conscious, the pain was unbearable. He had never been truly tortured before, and clearly did not have what it took to last long, if he was having such an extreme reaction to a broken wrist. Indeed his whole right arm screamed in protest, and he blindly reached out with his left hand, alternating between trying to claw Lotor's arms, and push the demonic prince away.  
As for the prince, it seemed he was no longer aware of the young man, the squeezes he gave him, a mere after thought. Even his eyes were distant, staring off into the beyond, while he muttered to himself. "How has this youth been responsible for holding back our advance?" demanded the clone.  
"He hasn't. Not without help." replied Lotor. "He's always in that *suit of armor* of his, the lion mecha. He rarely fights without it, and when he does, he doesn't rely on his own strength, but on guns."  
"Doesn't take much skill to pull a trigger." The clone sounded disgusted.  
"Exactly what I was thinking!" grinned Lotor. "So be done with it, and finish him. But be sure he's dead. That's been my mistake in previous dealings. I left him to bleed to death, and always some interfering twit came along to his rescue."  
"Bah! Killing is too good for the likes of this space trash!" sniffed the clone. "He should be allowed to live.....suffer by living through the humiliation of his defeat."  
"That's how I used to think, and it's bought me nothing but trouble." Lotor sighed, knowing how true his words were. "Just kill him."  
"No."  
"WHAT?!"  
"I will not dirt my hands with this....this spineless little mouse's blood!" He tossed Keith from him, the space explorer sailing through the air, to crash back first into some large rocks. "I think I will go after a more favorable, more worthy opponent."  
"It's not your job to THINK!!" shouted Lotor. "Hagger! DO something!"  
"I.....I don't what to do!" She cried, dismayed at this turn of events.  
"Listen you sub par waste of excrement DNA cells!" hissed Lotor. "I MADE you!"  
"Uh actually...." Hagger's timid protests were cut off by a murderous glare from her evil liege.  
"Without me, you're nothing!" Lotor continued. "Now you go and finish off that broken doll of a man, just like you killed those two insignificant soldiers, or I will have my robeast come back and stomp you to death!"  
"NO!!" growled the clone. "You don't tell me what to do---NOT ANYMORE!! I'm stronger than you, faster, smarter, Mother Hagger has ensured that I would become your better!"  
"Everything you are, is because of me!" shouted Lotor, his face twisted into a mask of pure fury. "Without my memories, my experiences, the knowledge gained throughout years of living, you wouldn't even know how to pick your blasted nose!"  
"And I thank you for that Lotor!" The clone admitted. "But I do not owe you anything! I've surpassed my teacher, and now.....it is my turn to shine! Come after me, and I will KILL YOU!!"  
******************************************************************* 


	6. 

  
  
World Event Productions still own Voltron and all related characters. And yes, I still would like to be the one to own Lotor. WEP can keep the rest, just give me my blue beefcake! ^_-  
As for the story itself, it has it's origins in a certain Voltron episode, the one that introduced Lotor's clone. It is indisputably, the one episode that drives me absolutely batty, with all of it's inconsistencies. Since when is Lotor a coward, afraid to fight his own battles?! They spend so many episodes hailing his tough guy image, establishing him as the ultimate warrior of the Galaxy, only to forget this detail? Not only was the reason for the clone's existence wasted, but so was the clone! So, it's my turn to try and work some fanfic magic. Enjoy!  
----Michelle  
  
  
  
"I hope we're not just wasting our time on this." grumbled Lance, as he fiddled around with his sled's controls.   
"Don't say that Lance!" admonished Princess Allura. "Keith is out there, risking his life, in order to buy us this time!"  
"A lot of good he's doing." Lance sighed, as he tossed a broken connector cable into the trash. "Some of these parts are older than Nanny!"  
"Brave man!" chuckled Hunk. "I dare you to say that within her hearing range!"  
"He probably would." Pidge said, staring intently at a jumble of wires. "He never thinks before he speaks, especially around Nanny. Hand me that jumper, princess."  
"This?" She held something up.  
He glanced up, and frowned. "No, that one!" Pidge was pointing at a near identical wire to the one she was holding.  
"Oh...sorry..." Allura handed the right one to Pidge. "How do you think Keith is faring?"  
"Terribly!"  
"Lance!" She made a face. "Since when are you so pessimistic?"  
"Since we started having such terrible odds." Lance sighed. "Look around you princess. The power is still down....that means Keith hasn't been able to do anything. We have no way of communicating with him, the castle's weapons have failed, soon our last defense will go out, and we can't even fly our lions...Now you tell me, where exactly is the bright side in all of this?"  
"It...it just hasn't shown itself yet." insisted Allura.  
"Whatever you say princess." replied Lance.  
"Quick, hand me a circuit board." ordered Pidge.  
"I'll get it." Allura stood, glad for a break. She wasn't really making any progress with her feeble attempts at sled repair. She walked into the room adjacent to Pidge's workroom. Here was the Green Lion's pilot's supply room, filled with so many gadgets and spare parts, Pidge could open his own electronic store, and make a small fortune! Allura didn't even know what half these things did, though she did know what a circuit board looked like. While digging through parts for one suitably sized for a water sled, she came across a rather large box. "Spring loaded missiles...." She turned the box over, peering at the small print. "Hmm....if I'm reading this right, this works just like a mine...just set, and go...." She picked up her prize, and ran back into the workshop.  
"Spring loaded missles!" exclaimed Pidge, when she showed him the box. "I forgot I had these!"  
"And why exactly did you have such a thing? Planning to ambush the mice the next time they try to steal your lunch?" teased Lance.  
"Oh, Pidge is a bit of a packrat." explained Hunk. "He's always saying, you never know when something will come in handy."  
"Well, will this work against the robeast?" asked Allura. "Even a little bit?"   
"I think so....you'd have to get in real close though, for it to have any effect on the monster." Pidge said. "I think I can attach two to the sled, without reducing it's speed and maneuverability."  
"So do it!" Lance said, excitedly. "I'll go out and save Keith's skin, while planting the mines."  
"No Lance, I'LL be the one to go out, and take care of business." Allura said, shocking the three men.   
"Princess no!" protested Hunk. "It's too dangerous!"  
"Danger and I are on a first name basis." quipped Allura. "And that name is Nanny!"   
"I can't argue with you on that point. Nanny is dangerous!" Lance winced, remembering all the ear pulling, the screaming matches, and spankings he had gotten from the tough woman. "But Nanny is not out to kill anyone---no matter HOW angry she gets at times."  
"I can do it." insisted Allura. "Besides, I will be of more use out there, than in here. Mechanics is so not my forte."  
"Well..." Pidge glanced at the sled Allura had been *working* on. It was in worse shape than before she had touched it! "I could use Lance's more technically able hands to help out on the sleds."  
"So it's settled then." Allura flashed them a dazzling smile. "Hook me up Pidge, I'm ready to go!"  
"Hold on a sec, princess." protested Pidge. "I still need to get that circuit board installed....and even then, I don't know how long this sled will last."  
"I don't care what the risks are. I HAVE to save my planet.....or die trying!" proclaimed Allura.  
"Good thing Nanny is not around...." muttered Lance. "Or she'd kill us for this!"  
**************************************************************************  
"HA! Kill me, will he?" grumbled Lotor, stuffing a communicator under his sword belt. "I'd like to see him try! I'll wipe the floor with him! That'll erase the smirk from his face!"   
"Er Lotor....?" Hagger asked timidly.  
"WHAT?!" He snarled angry at her for daring to interrupt one of his rants.  
"Are you sure this is wise?" She asked. "I mean, wouldn't it be safer to remain here...let the robeast take care of it, and Arus?"  
"Real men don't hide, when the going gets too tough." retorted Lotor. "They especially don't sit still and wait, when an upstart clone starts getting to big for his britches! Daring to have thoughts of his own!"  
"What are you going to do?" Hagger asked, a pained look on her face. She always hated seeing her creations destroyed.  
"What do you THINK I'm going to do?!" He demanded. "I'm going to KILL him! Annihilate any trace of him ever having walked on this planet!"  
"Um...you do realize he's stronger than you? Twice as fast, near invulnerability, that sort of thing?" Hagger asked.  
"I've faced such odds before, and survived." retorted Lotor. "Did more than just survive, I TRIUMPHED, leaving my opponents cold and lifeless!"  
"Yes, but you've never faced yourself before in battle....." Hagger hesitated. "Don't....don't you think you're being too...cocky?"  
"I am NEVER cocky." insisted Lotor. "Arrogant--perhaps, but that is because I know myself. And I'm counting on my clone to not know myself as well as I know ME!!"  
"That....makes sense...in a weird, twisted sort of way..." muttered a confused Hagger.  
"Now beam me down, Cossack!" ordered Lotor.  
*******************************************************************  
"There it is!" thought Allura excitedly, as she spotted the mechanical robeast. It mis-stepped, one leg splashing thunderously into the river, shaking up the currents. She had to hit her thrusters to prevent from being forced into the wrong direction.  
"Okay...just get in close now..." The princess guided the sled towards the beast, doing her best to avoid being crushed as it resumed movement. "Let' see...." She slowly circled the leg, eyeing out suitable spots. "I'm close enough to attempt mine attachment..." She pushed a button on the sled's handle, activating the missile shaped explosives. The ends detached, extending towards the monster on an ever expanding metal tubing. "THERE!"  
The suction cup like ends fastened onto the skin, hooks emerging to dig deeper into the skin. So immense was the beast, the pain was unnoticeable, as though it were a mere pin prick to the robeast.  
"No sign of Keith anywhere..." Allura frowned. She was supposed to set the timer and leave, but...what if Keith was in the area? He could be hurt, lying just out of sight, his oxygen slowly running out...even if he was fine, he could still be killed...what if he happened by just as the bombs went off? She better activate them by remote...this way she'd have time to search for Keith, AND get them to safety. If the robeast reached the castle, she'd blow the mines, regardless of her and Keith's proximity to it.  
Canceling the timer command, she was about to detach the mines, when a flash of bright light caught her eye. White, with a bluish center, she first thought perhaps a strange fish. She thought wrong...it was lazon! More to the point, a lazon sword.  
"LOTOR!" Frightened, she gasped, her mouth piece falling from her lips, oxygen bubbles escaping around her.  
The Demon Prince who had taken his obsession with her to new stalking extremes, swam past her, sword in hand. She was treated to the rare sight of him totally ignoring her, focusing instead on the mines.  
He swam with a grace and ease she found enviable, as though he had been born in water. His sword arm lashed out, severing the chemical containing halves of the mines from the wires. Their contents spilled out, the now empty shells tumbling to the river's floor, leaving harmless halves suctioned to the robeast's leg.  
Stuffing the mouth piece in place, she revved up the water sled, intending to get the Hell out of there. But in her panic, she pressed the wrong button, and the engine gave out on her. "Damn it!" She thought, abandoning the sled. "Why do these thing always happen to me-----EEEEEEEE!"  
Once again, her fear involuntarily emitted from her vocally, earning her lungs a river water bath, before she shut her lips tightly closed. Allura glared at Lotor. How dare he attempt to attack her with his sword! What game was he playing now?!  
He turned and swam at her, sword held out at a deadly angle. She quickly got out of the way, but at the loss of her helmet. Sliced into halves, it floated away, along with the pins that held her hair in it's tight bun.   
She now had a halo of gold around her, at times obscuring her view of her attacker. She realized she had to get out of the water if she wanted any chance at survival. Swimming up, and hopefully away from Lotor, she angrily berated Nanny for canceling her swimming lessons. The overzealous woman had forbidden swimming once Allura's body had started to develop into that of a woman's. Claiming it was scandalous for a princess to be seen in a bathing suit.  
Right now, Allura thought it was better to be scandalous than dead! She quickly rethought that idea when the front of her uniform was slashed open.  
Trying not to squeal in indignation, she stopped her attempts at swimming, to cross her arms over her chest. "If he thinks such childish antics will get me to marry him, he's got another thing coming!"  
She turned towards Lotor, hoping to fell him with the force of her angry glare, and paused. He was just...floating there...staring at her with an odd expression on his face. Even for Lotor, it was creepy!  
Suddenly, he was on the move, his sword resheated. She started to move her arms, then realized her breasts might spill out. Allura wasn't about to give Lotor a free peep show! So she settled for glaring at him defiantly, as he reached her position in the water. His hand reached out, and she cringed, causing him to pause. He then looked into her eyes tentatively, before slowly moving his hand towards her face.  
"Oh sure!" Allura thought bitterly. "He just tried to kill me, and NOW he's gonna try the nice guy routine?" She stilled herself, as he softly caressed her cheek. "Why is he smiling like that?" Suddenly, he grabbed her shoulders, and pulled her tight against his body. Yanking out her mouth piece, he firmly placed his mouth over hers....  
**************************************************  



	7. 

World Event Productions still own Voltron and all related characters. And yes, I still would like to be the one to own Lotor. WEP can keep the rest, just give me my blue beefcake! ^_-  
As for the story itself, it has it's origins in a certain Voltron episode, the one that introduced Lotor's clone. It is indisputably, the one episode that drives me absolutely batty, with all of it's inconsistencies. Since when is Lotor a coward, afraid to fight his own battles?! They spend so many episodes hailing his tough guy image, establishing him as the ultimate warrior of the Galaxy, only to forget this detail? Not only was the reason for the clone's existence wasted, but so was the clone! So, it's my turn to try and work some fanfic magic. Enjoy!  
----Michelle  
  
  
  
  
"Oooooooooh...." Keith groaned, rolling onto his side. "I feel like I went through warp drive with just the clothes on my back for protection....."  
He attempted to push himself up with his arms, and screamed in pain, collapsing face down. "JESUS!" He swore, cradling his useless right arm against his body. "It's all coming back to me! Lotor, that craven dog! He sneak attacked me, had his men knock me unconscious, and break my arm!" Clearly the young captain's memory was fuzzy on what had went on before!  
"I can't believe I'm still alive!" He manage to get into a sitting up position. "He ALWAYS makes that mistake! I bet it's cause he can't stand the sight of blood!"  
"Actually, I'm quite fond of blood. The shade of it goes so well with my eyes!" Lotor's foot smashed into Keith's face.  
"Argh....Lotor...." Keith spat out a tooth. "Come back to finish what your men started?!"  
"Men, WHAT men?" demanded Lotor. "I did that!"  
"Only because your men held me down!" retorted Keith.  
"What are you talking about?" Lotor asked, confused. 'There was no one else involved in our battle!"  
"That's what YOU'D like to believe!" Keith insisted, getting shakily to his feet.  
"I think you've suffered one too many blows to the brain." muttered Lotor. "Allow me to put you out of your misery...and thereby spare the galaxy from any more of your inane chattering!" He advanced menacingly on Keith, when his communicator went off. "One-second....." He flipped it out. "Yes?"  
"I've located the clone!" Hagger's voice chattered excitedly.  
"I'm a little busy witch!" Lotor hissed into the communicator. "I'll deal with him after I take care of Akira!"  
"But sire....."  
"But nothing!" snapped Lotor.  
"Don't you ignore me!" Keith lunged towards Lotor, swinging his left fist at the Dark Prince.  
Rolling his eyes in annoyance, Lotor smacked the flat of his hand into Keith's forehead. Since the Drule Prince was larger than Keith, his reach was longer than the pilot's, easily holding Keith at bay. Keith's own reach was two inches shorter, and his brain was currently not operating at the full 100 percent, so he could not see a way to get past that hand. He was left with no other choice but to curse impotently, as he repeatedly swung his fist at the prince, trying to push onwards against Lotor's restraining hand.  
"Lotor, are you still there?!" demanded Hagger.  
"Yeah, yeah." Lotor responded, busy watching Keith's dimwitted attempts at attack.  
"The clone! He has stumbled across Princess Allura!"  
"WHAT?!" Lotor let go of Keith, and the young captain suddenly raced past him.  
"The clone has Allura!" repeated Hagger.  
Lotor let out s strew of vile Drule curses. "How did that happen---never mind! I must rescue her!" He pulled out his sword, intent on finishing off Keith once and for all. "If he's harmed one golden strand on her fair head, I'll introduce him to torments that will make him BEG for death!"  
"Oh, I wouldn't be worried about that." Hagger cackled. "At the moment, he seems more interested in love than violence!"  
"WHAT?!" shrieked Lotor, yet again. "Are you saying he's putting the moves on MY princess?!"  
Hagger only laughed in reply.  
"How dare he!" fumed Lotor. "Quickly, send me the coordinates!"  
"Um sire...what about Captain Akira's fate?" Hagger asked.  
"I don't have time to play with that twerp now!" Lotor snarled. "I have to stop him from defiling MY princess!!"  
"But...."  
"Go send a robeast or something to deal with Keith!" snapped Lotor. "I've got more important matters to take care of!"  
************************************************************************  
Lips locked firmly onto each other, Lotor and Allura softly drifted to the bottom of the river's sandy floor.   
Lost in the feel of each other, the two were oblivious to all else. The fishes swimming by, the water caressing their bodies, the sound of the robeast's heavy tread growing fainter as it moved away. For one brief, perfect moment, there was nothing in the universe that could break the two apart---except the need for air.  
As this urge increased, Allura suddenly reigned in her mind, to see past kissing a handsome man, to the fact that she needed air. Need it now....and they were underwater, with the surface oh so far away.   
She became aware of Lotor's lips leaving hers. He too felt the need, but managed to retain his levelheadedness. He caught her oxygen tube that was attempting to drift free of it's chain, and gently placed this to her mouth.  
She was surprised and touched by this chivalrous display. She wondered how many men would gulp down that oxygen first, taking care of their needs before hers?  
Lungs no longer at danger level, she passed the tiny breather to him. He took a longer inhale, but that was understandable, seeing how his was a larger frame. He then let go of the piece, and move in to resume their kissing. She let him, surprised by her eagerness. Even in her wildest dreams, she had never pictured such a scene!   
One arm slid down, pressing against her lower back, as the other caught at her hair. Allura too began sliding her arms around Lotor's body, pulling closer to him...when she stiffened. What was she doing?! Making out with Lotor when the castle was so vulnerable----her people in imminent danger?! She pulled her arms away, but he did not notice, or just didn't care.  
No matter how adequate---all right, he was MORE than adequate!---a kisser, Prince Lotor was, she couldn't allow herself to fall into this trap, the most seductive trap of all....love---lust.   
Setting her jaw in grim determination, she kicked her leg out as best she could in the motion restrictive water. It connected with his groin, and his eyes widen in shock and pain. He let go of her, reaching to grab at his aching crotch, and she swam out of reach.  
Stuffing the mouth piece into place, she swam as best she could manage, glad that her skills, though rusty, were still well remembered. "OH!" Her head broke through the surface, her hair plastered to her skin. "First thing tomorrow..." She began dog paddling towards the river bank. "I'm issuing a decree that I resume the swimming lesson Nanny forced me to stop taking at age 12!"  
She heard a splash behind her, and a large intake of air. "Wait!" She didn't bother to turn, she knew WHO that was. Keith's voice was NOT that deep! Switching to a breast stroke, Allura frantically tried to out distance her ardent pursuer. He didn't make a sound, except for his smooth, sure strokes breaking water.  
Reaching the shallows, Allura stood, attempting to run onto the shore. Her desperation, and the fear she felt that if he kissed her again, she WOULDN'T run away, made her clumsy. She fell to her knees, letting out a little curse of frustration.  
She regained her footing, and made it onto solid land, just as Lotor stood up in the shallows. He didn't trip, as he advanced on her at a brisk pace. He didn't run, he knew he DIDN'T have to. A lascivious smile on his face, he reached her, all the while staring at her with those intent, golden cat's eyes of his.  
"Now Lotor...." Allura's voice squeaked out, much too high for her own liking. "Let's not do anything rash.....!"  
In reply, he scooped her up into the air, her shapely derriere resting on one arm, while his other hand slid behind her neck. To avoid toppling from that precarious perch, the girl reluctantly (yeah right!) hooked her legs around his waist.  
"Scandalous!" She managed to mumble, before they were kissing again. Desperately now, as though they were trying to suck out each other's life force, their very being.  
Her arms began to move, and uttering a feral growl, he roughly grabbed hold of her wrists. She let a small whimper of protest, but offered no other form of resistance, kissing him eagerly, tightening her legs grip on his waist.  
He relaxed, realizing this wasn't a ploy of hers to escape. He let go of her hands, retaking his grip on her body, as her arms wrapped around his neck. Suddenly the sky titled dizzily, and they were flat on the ground, he on top of her.  
Her finger's caught at silky strands of Lotor's hair, as his hands began to rove all over her body. Allura let out a moan, as he rained kisses on the side of her neck. One hand playing with his marvelous mane of hair, the other slid across his chest, attempting to memorize the lines of his body.  
"Lotor never mentioned anything about this...." He sighed into her ear, thinking how all his dealings with people on Doom had been with MALES. Hagger had been the only female, but she didn't look anything like the one beneath him! Nor did she have the curves, the hair, or the lyrical voice! He now understood why an area of Lotor's mind had been closed off to him!  
As for Princess Allura, she heard the clone's words, but could not make sense of them. What did Lotor forget to tell himself...what did it matter, she wanted more of these new, wonderful sensations!  
This time SHE sought out his lips, pushing her tongue out to meet his. A deep part of her was trying to point out the situation was rapidly getting out of hand. She told it to shut up, and enjoy the ride!  
His fingers touched the torn material of her uniform. Pushing it aside, he caressed bare skin, causing Allura's back to arch. "Oh yes!!" She cried, eye lids fluttering. "Touch me...."  
**"ALLURA!!" **screamed an anguish stricken Lotor.  
"Hmmm.....Lotor!" sighed a pleasure happy Allura.  
"Lotor!" Snarled the man above her.  
"Lotor?!" gasped Allura, doing a double take. **"LOTOR!!"**  
"Allura." said the one on top of her, lovingly smiling down her. He was please to have finally learned this water vixen's name!  
"How...Dare....You..." Lotor gritted out each word one by one, his face rigid with anger and disbelief. **"YOU BASTARD!!"** With an inhumane scream of fury, Lotor launched himself forward, landing on top of the clone's back.  
*******************************************************************  
T.B.C.!!!  
  
Lotor: Still can't write mush!  
Mich: Argh! Shut up! I know already! _  
  
  



	8. 

  
World Event Productions still own Voltron and all related characters. And yes, I still would like to be the one to own Lotor. WEP can keep the rest, just give me my blue beefcake! ^_-  
As for the story itself, it has it's origins in a certain Voltron episode, the one that introduced Lotor's clone. It is indisputably, the one episode that drives me absolutely batty, with all of it's inconsistencies. Since when is Lotor a coward, afraid to fight his own battles?! They spend so many episodes hailing his tough guy image, establishing him as the ultimate warrior of the Galaxy, only to forget this detail? Not only was the reason for the clone's existence wasted, but so was the clone! So, it's my turn to try and work some fanfic magic. Enjoy!  
----Michelle  
  
  
  
"You bastard!!" Allura heard Lotor scream, before jumping on top his twin, the man who been staring down at her, with an absolutely tender look of love on his face, when Lotor crashed into him.   
The two Lotor's fell to the side of her, and as intriguing as being at the bottom of a Lotor pile up was to Allura, she quickly scrambled out of the way. She did not want to be crushed under their weight, or accidentally hit.  
"How dare you!" One howled, rolling about, grappling with his twin. "She's MINE!!"  
"Finder's keeper's, Lotor!" hissed the other. "To the victor, goes the spoils!"  
"Then here is a reward you forgot to collect!" Lotor's fist smashed into the other Lotor's face, and Allura cried out in horror.  
"One good blow deserves another!" retorted the other, back handing Lotor across the face.  
"I've received stronger slaps from my grandmother!" snapped the other.  
"STOP IT!!" screamed Allura. "Both of you just stop!"  
"I can't believe you actually kissed her!" Ignoring her pleas, the Lotor's continued to scream insults and accusation amidst punches.  
"You should get your eyes checked! I did more than that!" The clone chuckled. "I can see why you kept her hidden from me, Lotor! She is truly a prize worth fighting for!"   
"Then you realize I do not intend to give her up so easily!"  
"I mean it! You two stop this instant!" Allura stamped her feet indignantly. "I will not be fought over in this manner!"  
The two completely tuned her out, intent on bruising each other's faces beyond recognition. Thinking, then Allura wouldn't want the *ugly* one. Thinking, then she wouldn't want the DEAD one.  
"If you don't desist this childish behavior, I'll leave!" Allura shouted. "I really will!" More fighting and cursing. "I mean it! Here I am....walking away now!"  
"Don't go my love!" cried the clone. "I want to make a gift to you of his still beating heart!"  
"Tokens of affection---not a bad idea!" laughed Lotor. "I'm sure a necklace of your teeth would adorn her neck just as well as a strand of pearls would! It will be a lovely sight."  
"You will not be seeing anything much longer!" hissed the clone, flinging a clump of dirt into Lotor's eyes.  
Lotor cried out, clawing at his eyes. The clone shoved his unresisting body off of him, and got to his feet. "Now you die, weak inferior one!" He unsheathed his sword, the lazon humming to life, and took aim at Lotor's neck.  
"I said BREAK IT UP!!" Allura screamed. "Move one step, and I'll shoot!"  
The clone glanced away from his predecessor and froze. His water vixen held a small laser pistol in her hands. "Put that away my love. You might hurt yourself."  
"Back away from Lotor...er Lotor!" She order, pleased to see the gun not shaking in her nervous, sweaty grip.  
He laughed. "My love...I know you can't shoot me. Not after what we've shared."  
"It's because of what we've shared I can't let you kill the other Lotor." She didn't know which one was which, and who she had done what with. "Now move!" She snapped, eyes flaring.   
"Even in anger, you're beautiful." The clone feinted moving away from Lotor, only suddenly to rush at him, still intent on killing him.  
"NO!!" cried Allura, shooting the sword out of the clone's hand.  
"You.....you shot me!" He exclaimed in disbelief.  
"And I'd do it again in a heartbeat!" She told him. "So back off!" To illustrate her point, she shot off seven more blasts, aiming at the ground before his feet. He was forced to hop away, to avoid getting his toes blown off.  
"Such fire!" breathed the clone, a fanatical look in his eyes. "You only make me want you more!"  
"Er...um..ew!" Allura made a face. "You have got to learn to read the signs of knowing how to tell when the mood has been ruined." Keeping her gun carefully trained on him, she advanced on the temporarily blinded Lotor.  
"Don't touch him!" ordered the other Lotor.  
"Don't give me orders!" She snapped.  
"Perhaps you want to be the one to kill the inferior one?" He smiled widely. He liked that idea very much. "Then we can toast each other with his blood."  
Allura shuddered. This Lotor was TOO creepy for her! She had to get away from him.....and judging by the event she had witnessed, she had to get the other Lotor to safety! Otherwise this psycho would certainly kill him, and then come after her!  
She wasn't even sure which one had been the Lotor she had been kissing. She flushed, what should have been a pleasant memory now soiled forever. She really hope she hadn't been about to give herself to that nutjob....but then...she couldn't even be sure the Lotor at her feet wasn't a sociopath as well! But it was against her nature to leave anyone to die, even a bad guy.  
Keeping her eyes on the standing Lotor, she shifted the gun to a one handed grip. She managed to change the setting to stun, just as he rushed at her. She actually had to shoot him three times before he fell to the ground in a stunned stupor.  
"There, there...." She said soothingly to the blinded Lotor, placing a hand on his shoulder. She wished she could say she was just attempting to calm him, but her heart was also racing. "He's been...neutralized. For now anyway. But we have to get out of here fast."  
"Allura?" He asked, head turning in the direction of her voice.  
"That's right." She said encouragingly. "We've got to leave before he wakes up." She didn't even know how long he'd stay stun...normally one blast was enough to take down a person. Gripping his arm, she half pulled Lotor to his feet. "Let's go."  
"Where to?" Lotor asked, leaning against her body as a crutch.  
Allura hesitated. She couldn't take him back to the castle...well she could, but he might refuse. Even if he did not, if they showed up there, questions would be asked, and they probably would lock Lotor in a cell. "There's some caves nearby." She said at last. "We can hide there."  
*********************************************************************  
"Oh man.....what a fender bender...." muttered Keith, limping towards the castle. He still had a long way to go. It was also the second time that day he had awakened without any recollection of how he had ended up in the ravine. Or how exactly his condition had been earned...that of a broken wrist, a body full of a myriad of bumps and bruises decorating the skin.  
"It must have been a lion practice session gone horribly wrong." Keith started coughing, and was shocked to see some blood mixed in with the mucus. "Where is Allura with that medical kit when you really need her?"  
Suddenly the ground shook, small rocks sliding about. "An earthquake?" He muttered, as the ground rocked again. And then again, and again, and again....."What the?"  
Now the rocking was accompanied by sounds. An ominous thumping, echoing throughout the canyon like ravine.   
"Uh oh..." Keith whispered as a large shadow eclipsed the sun. "A robeast!"  
The thing was heading straight for him! He tried to run, but his limp impeded his progress. "SHIT!!" He cried, as the flower petal like hand came down over him. He shut his eyes, praying for death to be quick and painless....and was shocked to feel the claws close almost gently around his body. He was suddenly wrenched into the air, his stomach protesting violently. Vomiting out his breakfast all over the hand that held him, the robeast resumed it's trek towards the Castle of Lions. Keith realized he was to have a front row seat to it's demolition. "I don't see how this day could possibly get any worse." He mumbled.  
****************************************************** 


	9. 

  
World Event Productions still own Voltron and all related characters. And yes, I still would like to be the one to own Lotor. WEP can keep the rest, just give me my blue beefcake! ^_-  
As for the story itself, it has it's origins in a certain Voltron episode, the one that introduced Lotor's clone. It is indisputably, the one episode that drives me absolutely batty, with all of it's inconsistencies. Since when is Lotor a coward, afraid to fight his own battles?! They spend so many episodes hailing his tough guy image, establishing him as the ultimate warrior of the Galaxy, only to forget this detail? Not only was the reason for the clone's existence wasted, but so was the clone! So, it's my turn to try and work some fanfic magic. Enjoy!  
----Michelle  
  
  
  
"Easy now..." Allura said softly, easing Lotor down onto the floor of the cave they had taken shelter in. She left his side, to dip her hands in the small stream of rain water that had settled into a puddle along the cave's bottom. "This might sting a little...."  
"AH!" Lotor jerked his face away from her cupped hands. "It stings ALOT!" He accused her.  
"Don't be childish!" A giggle escaped Allura's lips. "Now come here."  
With a resigned sigh, Lotor forced himself to sit still. "The pains I go through to once again be able to look upon your breath taking visage..."   
"You only made things worse..." She told him, tipping water into his eyes. "By scratching at it...it forced the dirt in deeper. I thought fearless warriors were supposed to know better!"  
"Ah...." Eyes tightly closed, Lotor shook his head.  
"Well?" asked Allura, more than a little anxiously.  
He tentatively opened one eye, than the other. Blinking he looked at her, before letting a dazzling smile of joy appear on his face. "Now there's a sight for sore eyes!!" He proclaimed, scooping her up into his arms.  
She squealed in delight before remembering to distant herself from him. "I'm happy for you Lotor....now put me down."  
"What if I don't want to?" asked Lotor. "My ship's parked somewhere along the ravine...by day's end we could be vacationing on one of the many moons of Riata-Zel."  
"Riata-Zel...isn't that a popular honeymoon spot?" His grin was an obvious enough answer to her question. It was time to put the brakes on whatever he was plotting. "Okay, Romeo...."  
He interjected with, "Guess that makes you my Juliet."   
"Quit joking Lotor! Put me down!"  
"What will you give me if I do that?" He asked, a sly look in his eyes.  
"LOTOR!" She smacked his shoulder.  
"ALLURA!" He mimicked her tone precisely.  
"I don't owe you anything. I SAVED you, remember?" Allura reminded him.   
Lotor let out a heavy sounding sigh. "That you did..." Allura's feet touched the ground, although he did not remove his hands from her waist. "Although, I DID save you too."  
"Oh yeah?" Allura arched an eyebrow. "How?"  
"From making the biggest mistake of your life!" exclaimed Lotor, his eyes looking angry. "I can't believe you almost gave yourself to---"  
"I thought he was YOU." interrupted Allura.  
"Well you...." He paused. That really was a compliment she had just given him...back handed as it may be. "There is that." Lotor smiled. "One silver lining in all this, is your wanting to do it with me."   
"It?" Allura's cheeks flamed. "I was going to do NO such thing!"  
"That's not what it looked like to me." He said smugly.   
"I was just lulling you--him, into a false sense of security!" protested Allura. "The instant your--his guard was down---WHAM!!"  
"I think the lady doth protest too much." He murmured, lowering his mouth to hers.  
**SLAP!!**  
"What was that for?!" Lotor demanded, fingering the cheek her hand had just slapped.  
"You go to far!" Allura snapped.  
"Oh, I go to far?!" He demanded incredulously.  
"YES! Thinking you can just kiss me anytime you feel like it!"   
"From that scene by the river, I think you wanted me to kiss you. That and a whole lot more!" This time he caught her hand before it could connect with his face.  
"Why you arrogant....."  
"SHH....."  
"DON'T SHUSH ME!!" She snapped.  
"Allura, be quiet."   
"NO!" Her voice raised in volume. "You don't own me! And you certainly can't tell me what to do!"  
"My love, sometimes you are entirely too head strong for you own good." He muttered, sounding slightly annoyed. With a flick of his wrist, he spun her forward, pressing her back against his chest. One arm slid across her chest, brushing against the top of her breasts, as he pinned her to him, trapping her arms.  
"What are you doing now!" demanded Allura, just before he covered her mouth with his left hand. "MPPH!!"  
"Shh...." He whispered into her ear, pulling them deeper into the cave's shadows. "He's out there."  
"MRPHG!" Her eyes widened in fear, and she stopped struggling, even allowing him to pull her down with him, sitting in his lap. For five minutes they just sat there, for once not aware of each other's appeal, all their attention being channeled onto focusing on the cave's mouth. Just as Allura was beginning to think this was just a ploy of Lotor's, a twig snapped, something heavy had trampled over it.  
The two froze, not even daring to breathe as they waited. No more revealing footsteps sounded, the walker now taking extra care in his tread. And then...then the clone appeared, bathed in sunlight, as he stood before the cave. Gazing into it's maw, he gave it a quick once over before moving on.  
Lotor's hand slid from her mouth, but neither spoke, fearing he would hear, and return. "You....you think it's safe?" She finally whispered, as he relaxed his grip on her.  
"No...no it's not..." He whispered, a light chuckle emitting from his lips.  
"How...how can you tell?"  
"Because..." His breath tickled her ear. "He's ME." He smiled, as he felt her shiver.  
"Wh...what..." She asked, not liking his answer. He was supposed to be reassuring her, not scaring her witless!  
"It's a trap." Lotor explained, reaching out to finger the curls that framed her face. "He wants to lull us into believing it's safe...." When she didn't protest, he grew bolder, transferring his fingers to her smooth skin.   
"How can you be so sure he knows we're in here?"   
"For one thing, he didn't even bother to search the cave." He continued to caress her face. "We weren't hidden very well. And Drules can see very well in the darkness."  
"Like...like a cat?" murmured Allura, thinking of Lotor's golden eyes...beautiful, and so   
expressive one moment, guarded the next.  
"Hmm yes, I suppose so." He agreed. "We also have amazing hearing. If he somehow missed spotting us, he should have heard the rapid beat of your heart...." His fingers lightly traced the pulse in her neck. "The breath...escaping past your lips..." Now he gently rubbed her lower lip.  
"You're...you're making that up." It had always been a nervous habit of hers to wet her lips...and she did it then, tasting him.  
"Am I now?" Lotor asked, amused as she shook her head, quickly moving away from his hand, only to end up pressing closer against his body.  
"Yes...yes you are...." She blushed. It was only a brief taste, but she was surprised he had tasted of...berries...not at all like the blood and ashes, she assumed a violent warrior should be associated with. "No one can hear a heartbeat that far away!"  
"No one?" His hand hovered over her neck again. "No one human perhaps. Tell me, my beautiful Allura.." He felt the goose pimples his touch caused to rise on her flesh. "In all your books, the lessons your Nanny forced you to study..." His hand slipped lower, playing across her collarbone. "All those different cultures, the how to and how not, of customs and courtesy when dealing with interplanetary dignitaries...did they ever let you study up on MY people, the Drules?" His hand paused, hovering over her chest.  
"There was no point." Allura said, eyes tightly closed, having to force herself to not lean into his touch. She wondered if he wore some form of aphrodisiac...activated through scent...but smell did not carry beneath the water's surface....  
"No point?" He sounded insulted. "Because everyone views us as uncivilized, conquest driven savages?" He sighed. "No, you never bothered to study up on your enemies...so you have no idea what we're capable of...what I am...how I can read you...the flush of your cheeks, the heat of your body...the way your scent carries your moods...your heart...beating for me..." He placed his hand on her breast, not fondling but resting against the skin...feeling for the heart's vibration...as if in response to him, it began beating faster, thumping a message against his skin's nerves.  
"I...I..." Touch, it had to be touch. She just couldn't believe that she would be reacting this way on her own...not to the son of the man who had killed her father.  
"Yes...you....?" His other hand gently gripped her chin, turning her face towards his.  
"I....." His breath was on her face. She realized he meant to kiss her, and panicked. "I have to go---NOW!!" Allura leapt to her feet, rushing forward into the light.  
"Oh no, Allura!" Loto caught her easily enough, pulling her back into the shadows. "It's not safe out there!"  
"It's not safe IN here!" She cried, beating her fists against his chest.  
"What are you talking about?" Lotor was very confused. "I'm not going to hurt you."  
"Yes you are!" Allura insisted, burying her face against his chest. Her shoulders shook, and she let out a little sob, causing Lotor's soul to twinge in pain, responding to her suffering, even though he couldn't comprehend these sudden mood swings of hers.  
"This is all a big game to you..." She murmured.  
"Allura no!"  
"Isn't it?" She demanded sharply. "Playing with my feelings...you're just toying with me...I'm a diversion to you, and a passing one at that!"  
"Don't say that!" exclaimed Lotor. "I love you! Enough so, that I would lay down my life for you!"  
She snorted. "Your life yes, but not stop your attacks on my planet."  
"Oh, I see what you're doing." retorted Lotor. "Falling back on that old argument, because you're too afraid to face what you're feeling."  
"You don't know anything!"  
" I know you're commitment shy!" He snapped. "By the Gods, Allura! What is with you and this emotional roller coaster?! One minute you're up, the next you're down...why don't you make up your damn mind about how you really feel, and stop toying with me!"  
"I'M toying with you?" She scoffed. "Just because I don't react the way you want me to...." Allura trailed off. One of the disadvantages to growing up in a sheltered lifestyle was that it had left her ill prepared to deal with the opposite sex...especially on anything approaching an intimate level. And if no one had sat her down, and explained to her all the turbulent joys and sorrows of love, then no one had ever tried to explain to her why she might be having warm tingly feelings for a man she knew as her enemy. "I'm leaving!" She hissed, deciding this was the only way to put an end to her turbulent emotions. "And you won't stop me Lotor!" She dodged his hands, and stepped away.  
"Where are you going to go Allura?!" demanded Lotor. "He's out there somewhere!"   
"Whoever that is, is probably long gone!" She backed away from Lotor. "I think this is just a lie of yours to keep me near!"  
"You are sadly mistaken on that account, my dear." Lotor advanced forward.  
"Stay back!" She unhooked her laser pistol from her belt.  
"ALLURA!"  
"You're not going to stop me! Now back off!" She ordered.  
"Fine." He said tightly.   
"And don't try to follow me!" She added. "I have more than enough blasts left in this catridge to deal with you."  
"Fine." He repeated. "Go ahead and leave."   
"I will...." Keeping a wary eye on him, Allura backed out of the cave. Once outside, she turned and ran off into the brush.  
"Stupid!" Lotor muttered, watching her go. "So stupid!" He was not sure if he was talking about her or him.   
He heard a noise, and glanced in it's direction. From behind the trunk of an oak, the clone emerged. The two men made eye contact, and a smirk spread across the clone's lips. "Don't interfere with me!" The clone screamed into his mind, and then, having issued the order, the clone slinked off. Apparently he had dismissed Lotor as any form of threat. He didn't even give him a backwards glance, as he took off after Allura.  
Open mouthed, shocked from the insult of being ignored, Lotor stood there, watching him go. One gloating thought of being right, passed through his mind. "I knew it! I knew he was there! Waiting for us...for her..." The thoughts of the clone getting his hands on Allura, sprung Lotor into action. Issuing a scream of challenge, he rushed off after them. 


	10. 

  
World Event Productions still own Voltron and all related characters. And yes, I still would like to be the one to own Lotor. WEP can keep the rest, just give me my blue beefcake! ^_-  
As for the story itself, it has it's origins in a certain Voltron episode, the one that introduced Lotor's clone. It is indisputably, the one episode that drives me absolutely batty, with all of it's inconsistencies. Since when is Lotor a coward, afraid to fight his own battles?! They spend so many episodes hailing his tough guy image, establishing him as the ultimate warrior of the Galaxy, only to forget this detail? Not only was the reason for the clone's existence wasted, but so was the clone! So, it's my turn to try and work some fanfic magic. Enjoy!  
----Michelle  
  
  
Allura ran, using the river to lead her back to the castle. Not that she thought she'd make it back to the castle in time. She wouldn't be able to scale the cliffs without any gear, and would have to make her way up through the forest instead. There was no chance of reaching home before the robeast...and even if she did, being inside her castle would not guarantee her safety. As long as the robeast continued to interfere with their equipment, they could not fly the lions, or use the turret lasers...  
The only comfort the castle wall's could offer her was the knowledge she wouldn't have to deal with Lotor...not immediately anyway...For a while she could hide, deny the feelings he stirred up in her. She almost wish he'd drop the nice guy act, she was sure it was only a mask he wore to seduce her...better he revert to the grabby, sex obsessed facade. Be, and do what everyone always said he'd do if he ever caught her all alone. At least then she'd be able to hate him.  
As she ran, Allura's eyes darted about, scanning the area...for what...Lotor's return? Or maybe Keiths.....The Black Lion's pilot's appearance would be an immense relief to the confused princess. At least then she wouldn't have to deal with a man on a sexual level. No, the good looking captain of the Voltron force, had never shown any interest in her....any interest in ANY woman. Instead, he preferred to focus on war strategies, and practice runs in his lion. She sometimes wondered if he was gay, or just really took his job too serious...He was definitely the type to be married to his work. It was because of these actions, and her doubts about him, that Allura had quickly dismissed Keith as a prospect for love. Not that he even noticed love, or it seemed, any other emotions. No, Keith was all too content in the over protective, big brother role he had adopted in his dealings with her. If he was here now, he'd leap to her defense, drag---take her away from Lotor. Maybe hold her hand in a purely platonic fashion, if he felt she was shaken over the encounter. He'd lead her back to the castle, where her daily routines waited for her, never changing, never allowing her a moment to herself to think outside the box. It might be boring and predictable but it sure spared her a lot of heart ache.   
"Allura!" She sighed, not knowing if she should be angry at Lotor for following her, or relieved he still cared enough to make the attempt. "Lotor..." She turned, gun still in hand. "I thought I told you to---mph!" He was on her lightning fast, the gun knocked out her grip, landing somewhere, where, she did not know. She had become too distracted by him kissing her, grabbing at her, fondling her body. He definitely seemed intent on not wasting any more time, disregarding finesse for speed. She didn't like it...didn't like how he assumed she was just here for his pleasure. "STOP IT!!" Allura cried, trying to push him off of her.   
"Allura..." He growled, ripping her shirt open.   
She gasped, appalled. "What is wrong with you!" She pressed her hands against his chest, trying to move him away.  
"I need you now...desperately..." He murmured, taking no notice of her distress. "I desire you like a man lost in the desert craves a drink of water..." He nipped her neck, breaking the skin as he gave her a love bite.  
"Well, keep on thirsting..." She managed to wiggle partly away from him. "Cause the bar is closed."  
"There's always time for last call!" He informed her, shifting his grip to her legs. He really did seem desperate to do this with her...what had changed...why had he abandoned his charade of seducing her into it...unless this wasn't the Lotor she had just left in the cave...maybe it was the other Lotor...but then, hadn't he too been attempting to put her in a favorable frame of mind...what had changed...unless...he knew the other Lotor was hot on his heels, and he was desperate to be with her, before they were interrupted. Well, this was one princess who wasn't about to be man handled into something against her will! Perhaps knowing that the other Lotor would be along soon, made her braver, and she lashed out, slashing her fingernails across his face.  
The Lotor grabbing at her, howled but it was not of pain, but of anger. He took one hand off of her, to finger at the three deep welts over his right cheek, that ended just beneath his eye. He looked at the blood on his fingers, then glared at her, unable to believe she had injured him. That she had dared to do him damage. The look he flashed her, chilled her to the bone, and she suddenly thought of what the outcome could be, if the other Lotor wasn't running to her rescue.....  
"You will pay..." He hissed, bringing his hand around to slap her.   
"Ah!" Allura twisted in his grip, and his leg struck out, sweeping the ground from her feet. She fell backwards, hitting the ground hard enough to knock the air out of her lungs. She blinked, stunned and seeing stars, conscious of rocks digging into her skin. Sneering at her, he plopped down, putting all his weight on her, as he straddled her small frame.  
"And now...." He was leaning forward, a monstrous leer on his face, as his hands roughly explored her body.  
"Get your hands off of her!!" Allura swooned, almost losing consciousness, so relieved HE had come after all.   
"You again?!" hissed the scar faced Lotor. "I thought I told you not to interfere with me!"   
"You should know by now, I don't take orders very well." retorted Lotor. "I give them!"  
"Hmph." The clone sat back on his heels, Allura forgotten for the moment. "Last time I let you live..."  
"Oh, YOU let me?!" demanded Lotor, recalling with amusement how Allura had been the one to back off the clone. Out of the corner of his eye, he noted her, lying on the ground, breathing slowly, her face seeming incredibly pale, her eyes looking fear stricken. His fist clenched. His clone would PAY. For every cry he caused Allura to scream, every plea she had issued that he had ignored, any nightmares the clone may have caused her, Lotor would exact vengeance for each and every offense. For his beloved's behalf, and for HIS.  
"Last time, I left you alive..." repeated the clone. "Now, I shall rectify that mistake!" He stood up, flexing his hands.   
"Funny, exactly what I was thinking!" hissed Lotor. "You should never have been created!"  
"Hmph! And you...you should been destroyed the moment I stepped out of that tube!" The clone had moved away from Lotor, slowly stalking towards Lotor. "You're obsolete! A wasted excuse of a life form! I am your better. I can, and I WILL accomplish everything you have failed!"  
"I don't see a lot of doing on your part." Lotor too began circling the clone. "Just a lot of mindless chatter." He mocked the clone, by play acting a yawn of boredom.   
"Why you..." hissed the clone. Together they walked around the other, always facing each other, looking very much like a man posing in front of the mirror...except one's face was perfect, the other scarred. They continued stalking each other, and Allura slowly sat up, crossing her arms over her chest, just watching as they occasionally broke through to a feint of attack. Neither went through with the move, instead just testing to see if the other had let down his guard, had any sign of a weakness.  
They could have danced this deadly tango for hours, if not for the clone losing all form of patience. Being only a few days old, the clone was eager to get on with life, and experience all it had to offer. He felt he did not have time to waste fooling around with Lotor, not when he was confident in what the final outcome would be. It wasn't enough to strike Lotor, he had to sound his victory with a cry. "The first to strike will always win the battle!"   
"That's what you think eh?" Lotor dodged his fist, feeling the rustle of a sleeve brush against his face. "Where exactly..." His hands came up, moving to deflect the clone's punches. "Did you hear that?" He didn't just block the punches, he threw out his own. "Certainly not from me." The two Lotor's hands were a flurry of super fast movements, Lotor's right arm would come up, blocking the clone's punch, then right back down as the left came up to attempt a blow of his own. It failed, the right one would be right there, trying to connect, even as it went down, the left arm was coming up to block a punch from the clone. The clone's arm were doing similar movements, just the exact mirror opposite. Allura watched this, not being able to tell who if any was landing any hits, not knowing how much time had gone by, when suddenly Lotor's hand got past the clone's defense, connecting with his eye.   
The clone hissed, backing away, and Lotor went to press the advantage...only to have the clone catch Lotor's wrist in his hand. "Enough!" Lotor's left hand was captured as well. The clone smirked, and was displeased to see Lotor also shared that expression with him. As for the prince, he could not help laughing out loud, at the clone's obvious annoyance. "What do you find so funny?" demanded the clone.  
"Oh...just this...." Lotor slammed his knee into the clone's stomach. With a gasp, the clone hunched forward, though he did not let go of Lotor's wrists. Lotor then performed a back flip, his legs going up into the air, clocking the clone feet first in the face. When he landed, he was now twisted so that his back was to the clone, and the clone's arms were crossed over his chest, still attempting to hold on to him. Lotor flashed a confident smile at the watching Allura, and then reversed flipped, this time his feet hitting the clone on top of the head, before touching the ground. Then Lotor kicked him, and this time the clone released his grip. Lotor quickly followed up with another kick, pulling his knee as close against his chest as possible, before snapping the leg straight out, in the precise manner and motion used to break down doors.  
The clone was launched backwards, and he stumbled about, almost falling to the ground. But somehow, he managed to stay upright, and with a growl, "Now I'm really mad!" came at Lotor again.  
"Oh..." Lotor said mockingly. "What's the matter?" The clone didn't seem to be able to adapt as quickly as him, coming at him with the same exact attack he had tried before. "Can't take a little competition?"  
"Just wondering how you improved so quickly." The clone said through gritted teeth, as their fists flew.  
"I improved eh?" Lotor smiled. "Are you referring to that earlier scuffle where you CHEATED?!" It was true, he was doing better having not had dirt flung into his eyes, but that was not the only reason. This time he was battling with a clear head. Before, it had been quite a shock to see Allura embracing the clone. Hagger had prepared him with the news that the clone was chasing after her, but nothing had prepared for the sight of Allura enjoying it! This time, he entered preparing to see Allura with another man, and had steeled his emotions to not react with jealously. Only to see this time she was scared, and fighting him off. He felt anger at the clone, and fear that the clone's actions may have ruined any chance he and Allura had at a future together. He channeled that into aggression, keeping his mind clear as he faced his opponent.  
"I cheated? I think not!" scoffed the clone. "A superior being such as myself, does not need to cheat."  
"Fact is, you did cheat when you tried to blind me...so either you have a skewed view of events, or maybe you're not so superior after all!" retorted Lotor.  
"Try and comfort yourself with all the lies you need Prince Lotor." The clone suddenly seemed to remember he had a sword on his belt. "It will change nothing." He unsheathed his sword, activating the lazon.   
"I have a sword too." Lotor pointed out, activating his own sword.  
"So you do..." The sword's met, clanging against each other, soothing off sparks. Lotor's sword slashed open the front of his uniform, scarring open the skin. Hissing in pain, the clone leapt away from Lotor, and considered the prince. He knew he was stronger and faster than him, but apparently there was something to be said about having actual battle experience, compared to just memories of it. It would take more than just brute force to beat Lotor, it would take some skill and maneuvering.  
"Well?" Arching his eyebrow, Lotor gestured at him with his sword. "Your move."  
"....." The clone deactivated his sword. "I have decided." He announced. "I will let you live a little bit longer." He began backing away from Lotor. "It will be so much more delicious to let you think you still have a chance at surviving our final encounter...to steal that hope from you, when the light dies out of your eyes...that will be highly satisfying."  
"You're bluffing." Lotor told him. "You're scared of failure and running away." The clone didn't respond. Instead he turned, and ran towards the river. "Oh no you don't!" Lotor hurried after him. "You don't get off so easily!"  
The clone reached the river, and without pausing, dove into it's wet embrace.  
"DAMN!!" Lotor paused at the river bank, the water pooling around his ankles.  
"Adieu Lotor!" The clone shouted. "Enjoy the woman while you can!" And his head submerged under water, taking off for parts unknown.  
As for Prince Lotor, he stood there cursing, torn between going after him, and seeing to Allura. He didn't debate long, choosing to return to the side of the woman he loved do dearly.  
"Allura..." He said awkwardly. She probably hated him for what the clone had tried to do. "Allura...let me explain...."  
"Kyaa! Don't look at me!" She snapped, blushing as she turned her body from him.   
"Ahhh! I'm sorry!" He turned too, feeling embarrassed. He hadn't even realized her breasts were exposed! Her breasts...how tempted he was to turn around, and get a nice long view...but after what had almost happened, he knew he shouldn't even try to cross that line. "Um...here..." He pulled off his uniform's top, and handed to her.  
"Thanks...." Allura said, surprised by this move. She quickly put it on, though it seemed ten sizes to big for her. She was practically swimming in it, the hem going down past her knee, the sleeves five inches past her fingertips. "You...you can turn around now...."  
He turned, and burst out laughing. "You look ridiculous!"  
"Hmph..thanks..." She said sourly. "And you..." Her eyes widened as she took in the sight of him topless. "Are breath taking!" She quickly blushed, ready to die from embarrassment from saying that aloud. She was also grateful that for once he didn't jump on that line, and start in with his merciless teasing.   
"Let's see if we can't fix this up a bit..." He said instead, taking hold of one of her arms. She wordlessly watched him, as he ripped part of the material off. What was left, he rolled back, making it into cuffs. He took hold of her left arm, and repeated the process.  
"Er thanks...." Allura said, when he released her arm.  
"You're welcome." Lotor studied her. "Now..if only we had something to keep that from being so baggy...it'll snag on everything as we walk."  
"Um...I still have my belt...I could cinch it around here...won't do much, but it'll be an improvement."  
"Then do it." Lotor said, already turning so he wouldn't accidentally see anything when she pulled up the shirt to get at her belt. As for Allura, she was very surprised by how chivalrous he was being! She quickly undid her belt, letting the shirt fall back down, then fitting the belt around her waist, cinching it tight. "Well, that's better." She said, and he turned, nodding.  
"Lotor....?"  
"Yes?"  
"Now what....?"   
He sighed. He wasn't entirely sure what to do either. "I guess...I guess I should start with the truth."  
"The truth?"  
"About the...the other Lotor."   
"I was wondering about that." Allura said, stating the obvious. "Is he like some evil identical twin of yours?"  
"In a way." nodded Lotor. "He's...he's my clone."  
"A clone!" Allura exclaimed, shocked. "I thought they were outlawed!"  
"In most of the Galaxy, yes." Lotor shrugged. "We Drules tend to not follow other people's rules. But we have not actually had much use for clones...they don't make good enough slaves, since without magic, they are like newborns."  
"That clone of yours definitely did not act like a baby!" Allura pointed out. "Maybe a bit childish when it comes to, "see it, want it, take it" but then again...." She trailed off blushing, not wanting to say out loud that that's how Lotor normally acted!  
Lotor smiled, as though he could guess what she was thinking. "No, he was augmented by Hagger's magic."  
"But, why?" Allura asked. "Why would you need a clone?"  
Lotor hesitated. How could he tell her, his father wanted to replace him, cause Zarkon thought he was a useless coward?! "My father...."  
"Ye-es?" She prodded him when he fell silent.  
He sighed deeply. "My father wanted to replace me with more competent help."  
"Replace you?" Allura exclaimed, aghast at the thought.   
Lotor nodded. "At least when it comes to battles." He decided not to trouble her with his concerns that his father was probably planning to replace him with the clone permanently.  
"But why!" exclaimed Allura. "You're an excellent fighter...and a very good tactician. You've certainly given Arus a run for our freedom. We've been very lucky to hold out for so long."  
"I thank you for that vote of confidence." He flashed her a brief smile. "I just wish my father felt the same way." He sighed, sounding so depressed, that Allura reached out to him, laying her hand on his shoulder. He closed his eyes, drawing strength from that show of support. "I want you to know..." One hand reached up to quickly touch hers. "I'm nothing like him."  
"Your...your father?"  
"Him too." agreed Lotor. "But also the clone...that is not me."  
"Isn't he? He's your clone Lotor!" She pointed out.   
"Yes, the DNA strand is the same, but the personality...it's different...warped, dangerous...Hagger said she made him to be void of any compassion or kindness...to be absolutely ruthless...Allura! You have to believe me!" He took her hand in both of his, clasping it almost reverently. "I would never force myself on a woman like that! I've never had to!"  
"Well...." She contemplated his words, taking in his smooth, chiseled features, the exotic eyes...how his luxurious hair trailed down his back. She knew if she were to touch it, it would feel like silk. His face was handsome, years of war not forcing hard lines into his face, his expression still able to show joy. Her eyes glanced down, marveling over his chest, the muscles there, and the tight abdomen having a clearly defined six pack. It was very easy for Allura to believe that no, the Drule Prince did not have to do a lot of coercing to get a woman in bed. Why, he probably had thousands of women throwing themselves at him! And even with the one woman who had turned him down, time and time again, he had never gotten rough with her. He might have coped a feel here, and there, but he had never gone as far as his clone had tried to go.   
She was about to answer him, that she did see the difference between him and his clone, but he misread her contemplation of his body as silence. Perhaps fearing she was about to bolt, and be forever out of his life, he began speaking, quick and nervous like. "Allura, I'll do anything to prove myself to you. Even..." He had to pause, his breath coming out in shaky gasps. He could hardly dare to believe what he was about to say to her. "Take you back to your castle, and stop the robeast's attack. And then...I'll leave you alone...forever..."   
She was too surprised to respond, and when he began leading her by the hand towards the direction of her home, she followed, almost sightlessly. She had a lot to think about, before they reached the castle.  
******************************************************************  
"His highness returns!" One of the crewmen exclaimed excitedly.   
"Well facilitate boarding procedures then!" ordered Hagger. She was excited to learn what had happened in his encounter with the clone. Had he been successful? Was the clone dead...what about the princess? They hadn't said anything about him returning with a hostage....  
"I need a drink." Lotor's familiar voice barked out angrily.  
"Lotor! You're finally back!" Hagger exclaimed, watching in amusement as men tripped over each other, rushing to fulfill his request. "How did it go..." Her eyes widened as she got a clear view of his face. "What happened to you?!"  
"What do you think?!" He demanded with a snarl. "The clone proved too much for me!"  
"Well, I did tell you to not rush out there, half cocked." She tysked, conjuring bandages for his cheek. "You should let the men deal with him."  
"Hmm yes...the men..." He snatched the wine bottle out of the guard's hand. "They might prove useful after all....what say we send...oh half a dozen of our best foot soldiers out to hunt him down?"  
"An excellent idea sire!" Hagger said, coming near him to clean the wounds on his face. She frowned, noting the left eye was bruised. Apparently the clone had really done a number on the prince's once perfect face. "But Lotor...what about the princess?"  
"Princess?" He looked confused.  
"Allura." She reminded him.  
"Oh. HER." He sounded disgusted.  
"Yes her, the love of your life." Hagger said. "What should the men do if they run across the princess? Bring her back here?"  
"No." He said, shocking her. "Just leave her be...or...kill her on sight" He smiled, liking this idea better. "Either way, it does not matter to me, what her fate is."  
"Yes sire!" Hagger said, trying not to laugh joyfully. It seemed at long last her young liege was finally free of the spell that Arusian Slut had placed upon him. But just in case he changed his mind...she hurried off to pick out the men, and issue the orders to kill the clone and Princess Allura. And so, she missed hearing Lotor murmur, "After all, it's her own fault...she brought this upon herself when she rebuffed me."  



	11. Eleven

World Event Productions still own Voltron and all related characters. And yes, I still would like to be the one to own Lotor. WEP can keep the rest, just give me my blue beefcake! ^_-  
As for the story itself, it has it's origins in a certain Voltron episode, the one that introduced Lotor's clone. It is indisputably, the one episode that drives me absolutely batty, with all of it's inconsistencies. Since when is Lotor a coward, afraid to fight his own battles?! They spend so many episodes hailing his tough guy image, establishing him as the ultimate warrior of the Galaxy, only to forget this detail? Not only was the reason for the clone's existence wasted, but so was the clone! So, it's my turn to try and work some fanfic magic. Enjoy!  
----Michelle  
  
  
  
  
The ground was so close, teasing Keith with it's nearness, calling him to plant his feet on it's lush soil. But the irony was that he couldn't! To both the left and right of him stood the cliff tops, while directly beneath him was a tumultuous drop. One that could end his life in several, sickening ways. Only the robeast kept him from falling--the young captain had never thought he would be grateful to one of Hagger's creations, but in this one instant he was. Never mind it was the monster's fault he was currently in this sticky predicament!  
Where was he? That's the interesting thing. It wasn't a wholly new experience to be caught in a robeast's grasp. However, all those other times he had been inside Black Lion, protected by it's armor shell. Not hung in some giant fist, suspended in the air, his legs dangling, his arms made immobile, as his over sized captor carried him almost gentile like towards the castle.  
_ ~And I can't believe not minutes ago I was actually complaining about the long walk ahead of me!~_ thought a grim faced Keith. What had seem like an endless trek was quickly nearing it's end. The robeast, while not as fast as one of the lions, still had speed on it's side, it's long stride covering many yards with each step it took. All too soon they would reach the Castle of Lions, and Keith shuddered to think what would happen then. The awful pit in his stomach seemed to echo his fear, his overactive imagination whispering to him that he might very literally be knocking on the castle walls.   
"I have to do something!" cried Keith in protest. He frantically began twisting his body from side to side. "Got to get free..." A whimper escaped his lips as his thigh rubbed against his right hand, the broken bones shooting pains all the way up his arm.  
"DAMN IT!!" Keith said, panting slightly. "Come on Keith, you can do this! You've suffered worse injuries and survived...." Bracing himself, he turned in the beast's hands, pulling some of the pressure off his right arm.  
"You've been trained by some of the best in Garrison...." Keith continued to sing his own praises in an attempt to keep himself motivated, and take his mind off the pain. "Awarded high honors by the people of Arus..." His left arm moved a little, sliding up. "Saved thousands of lost souls all over the galaxy." He chuckled lightly. "With a minimum of property damage...." People were never grateful when their saviors accidentally smashed down their homes. The captain's laughter stopped as he was hit with a flash of wild hope, the excitement caused from his fingers brushing against something---his com unit in his pant's pocket. _~YES!~_  
"You're the pilot of Black Lion..." He managed to maneuver his hand into his pocket, fingers closing around the device. "Not to mention Captain of the Voltron Force..." More shifting and he got his elbow free. "And according to Nanny and Coran you are the princess' chosen champion!" With a triumphant yell, he got his left arm completely free.   
It was at that exact moment, the robeast came to a stop. It let out a low growl, head moving from left to right. "Uh-oh..." Keith said in a small voice, fearing his shouts had finally gotten the creature's attention.  
Another low rumble came out of it's throat, and it's hands started to move. Both were brought up, and Keith shook with fear as he neared the beast's mouth, getting a up close look at it's many rows of sharp teeth. But instead of being dumped into it's maw, the arms straightened out, the young captain now being aimed at the castle. The leaf like fingers of his captor trembled, and Keith let out a cry of fear, throwing his left arm over the side of one, debating if he should drop the com unit and scrabble for better purchase with his fingers.  
The hands began to open, unfurling a like a flower, Keith sliding in it's slick, wet with vomit grip. Now his glances at the ground to the side of him was not filled with longingly, but desperation. Held at this vantage point, it was no longer a simple matter of jumping to freedom. He could very well miss...tumbling down, all the way to the bottom of the ravine. If he was incredibly lucky--which the young captain did not feel he was at that moment---he might plunge into the river, and somehow avoid getting stepped on by the robeast.  
Luckily the captain needn't have wasted any brain cells on debating what he should do next. The robeast suddenly remembered it's passenger---perhaps having a little witchy assistance in jogging it's memory--and the hand holding Keith quickly tightened about him.  
The other, however, opened completely, focused in on the castle. Throwing back it's head, it issued a deafening roar, before sucking more energy out of the castle. Whispering thanks to his God, Keith somehow managed to not give in to hysterical giggles over his situation. Taking in a few more deep breaths, he managed to hold onto his composure, putting the com unit to his mouth. Using his teeth, he pulled out the attenae, praying the little device would be strong enough to send a signal to the castle.  
Taking the com unit in his hand again, he then used his tongue to punch in the castle's frequency. He stared intently at the small LCD screen, watching as it filled up with static. "Come on....come on...!"  
A very relieved smile appeared on the captain's face as he heard faint voices. Distorted, broken words shouted out of his com unit. "Castle Control this is Captain Akira! Do you read me?" More jumble words. "I repeat, this is Captain Akira! Coran? Lance? Anyone!?"  
"K...th?"  
Hopeful at what he thought may be his name, he shouted, "YES! It's me! Keith!"  
"Keith, can you hear me?" Some of the words were still a bit jumbled, but the voice was a lot clearer now. As was the picture on the screen, at last taking form. A face appeared, grinning up at him. Even colored in hues of yellow and green, it was unmistakable to not know who it was.  
"Lance!" Keith wilted in relief. "Boy are you a sight for sore eyes!"  
"I'll bet." Lance winced, taking a good look at Keith's very pale face. "Although it's not your eyes that look like they've been put through the ringer." The brown haired man felt a flash of anger surge through him. "Who used you like you were their own personal punching bag?"  
"It's...it's not important!" snapped Keith, still fuzzy on the details of how he had gotten hurt. Later on, when his memory completely returned, the young captain would be very embarrassed to learn had had been worked over by Lotor---AGAIN! "There are other more pressing issues at hand......"  
"Yes." agreed Lance. "For one thing....." He suddenly shrank in size, as the tiny screen filled up with two more people. They were too small to make out any distinguishing features, though the voices were instantly recognizable.  
"Keith, how have you managed to get around the power barrier?" demanded Pidge.  
"I...I don't know..." admitted Keith. "I thought maybe something happened while I was unconscious."  
"No..." Pidge shook his head, and in the back ground Hunk was heard to mutter, "You were unconscious?"   
"No change here...we're still suffering a massive brown out on all levels." reported Pidge.  
"We were shocked when the viewscreen suddenly came on all by itself." addded Hunk.  
"Weird..." Keith frowned, and looked over his shoulder at the robeast. It was still sucking out power from the castle. "Could it be....I'm tapping directly into the robeast's energy reserves....."  
"To do that you'd have to be really close." Pidge replied, causing Keith to realize he had spoken that thought out loud.  
"How close?" asked Lance. "Would we get power back once that monster reaches the castle?"  
"Yes!" Hunk said, very excited. "Then we'd be able to launch the lions!"  
"No..." Pidge was frowning, shaking his head. "It wouldn't work like that...the lions would die down as soon as we flew out of range..."  
"Well what is the range?" asked Lance.  
"I meant it when I said extremely close...like touching close." clarified the Green Pilot. "I'm almost positive that is the only way."  
"Well, maybe the boy genius is wrong for once." Lance said hopefully.   
"No...Pidge is correct." Keith let out a deep sigh, realizing he would have to reveal his latest predicament. "I am currently...resting...."  
"Resting?" demand Lance. "Where?!"  
"At a time like this?" Hunk frowned. He had never thought he'd live to see the day when Keith would be slacking off while on the job.   
"Um...it's a forced rest...for I'm...I'm in one of the monster's hands...." There was silence for a moment, before Lance regained the use of his vocal skills. "Care to enlighten us on how you managed that, o' fearless leader." There was definitely a teasing edge in his voice.  
"Not really..." Keith said, his cheeks starting to pinken.  
"Let me put it another way captain..." Lance sounded like he was enjoying this immensely. "Can you get DOWN from the robeast?"  
"..........no..........." Keith mumbled. "I'm uh...I'm it's....prisoner...." What came next was not wholly unexpected. His three friends burst into uproarious laughter, cackling like hyenas, while Keith blushed bright red in embarrassment. "Are you guys finished?!" More laughter was his answer. "Is anyone else there?! Someone I can talk sense to?!" He demanded angrily. "Coran? Nanny?" He asked rather helplessly. "How about Allura?" He was sure the princess wouldn't laugh at him. She would be the voice of reason, showing sympathy over the situation he had gotten himself into. "I want to speak to the Princess!"  
The young woman's name seemed to have a sobering effect on the trio---almost. A stray giggle or two still managed to trickle out of their mouths. "The princess?" repeated Hunk. "She's uh...not here right now."  
"Then where is she?!" demanded Keith. The three pilots hesitated to tell their captain exactly where the Arusian Princess had disappeared too. He would surely disapprove. "In her bedroom? Or perhaps getting a snack in the kitchen?"  
"Um...no..." Pidge said quietly. He turned to look at Lance, and hissed a whisper, "You tell him!"   
"You guys!" Keith shouted, gripping the tiny com unit tightly in his hands. "Someone better tell me. As your leader, I ORDER you to do it!"  
"Sounding a little like Prince Lotor there, ain't you buddy." Lance said.  
"LANCE!"  
"Just kidding, just kidding!" Shooting an annoyed glance at Hunk and Pidge, the pilot of Blue Lion took a deep breath. "Allura...she's not in the castle. OR in the gardens. She left..." Lance explained. "She went out looking for you..."  
"WHAT?!?" screamed Keith, his shock was too great, his fingers going numb, and this time the com unit fell. He missed out on hearing Lance's hurried explanation of how the princess had gone out to help him take down the robeast. Instead the small device went straight down, wind whistling as it sped like a missile to crash open against the rocky ground by the robeast's toes.  
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They had been walking in silence for a while now, neither not knowing what to say to each other. Lotor was still too mortified over his clone's recent behavior. Especially over what it had tried to do to Allura. He thought she was upset too, upset at him, and that's why she was silent. The young princess WAS upset, but not at Lotor. She was actually handling the clone's recent attack better than the Dark Prince of Doom, instead worrying about other things. Important things---feelings...Mainly, she didn't know what to do in a situation like this! Lotor had once again professed his love to her, but on top of that...for the first time ever, she really believed he meant what he said. What other reason could he have for vowing he would get her home, and then leave her alone--FOREVER--if that was what she wished? Love was supposed to make one unselfish, and Allura had a feeling Lotor could make no greater sacrifice then to stay away from her.   
She wasn't sure what to say or do. How do you respond to one who loves you? Nanny and Coran would be no help, nor would Keith and the other guys. They would just try to drive the point home that "Lotor was *evil* and thus she should hate him, no questions asked." But she couldn't hate him, and the one thing she was absolutely sure was she did not want him keeping that promise. The promise of leaving her. Allura could not begin to imagine living a life without Lotor playing some part in it. Now if only she could figure out how big a part she wanted for him, and how to find the right words---the courage to tell him to STAY.  
Taking a deep breath, she parted her lips. "Lotor, I......"   
He tensed suddenly, coming to a stop. "Shh!!"  
"What is it?" Allura asked, annoyed at being interrupted. She saw Lotor turn, looking about their surroundings. "Is it the clone?" She asked fearfully, her eyes also darting about looking for signs of intruders.  
"I'm not sure..." Lotor's hand reach out, taking hold of her arm. "Or rather...if it is him, he's not alone...." He pulled her behind him, prepared to use himself as a shield. Allura couldn't see or hear anyone, but she trusted his instincts. He slowly backed up, as did she, both their bodies tightly wound up with nervous energy.  
A twig snapped, and Allura gasped. "How many?"  
"Three....maybe four...." Lotor told her. "Prepare to move on my say so..."  
"Yes..." agreed Allura, licking her lips nervously.  
"NOW!" Lotor shouted, shoving her towards the bushes. Half stumbling, she dove into them, Lotor a few steps behind her. She heard him curse, and then he landed in a crouch next to her, just getting under cover when the men that had been stalking came bursting into sight, guns drawn.  
The princess cautiously poked her head out, letting out a startled scream as she narrowly avoided getting shot in the face. _~They're shooting at us---at ME!!~_ She thought indignantly, as Lotor snatched her back into the bushes.  
"What do you think they are doing?!" hissed Lotor, pushing her flat on her back.  
"I...I just wanted to see how many were out there..." Her heart was beating wildly, and it wasn't because of the danger they were in. The handsome Prince of Doom was currently straddling her body, hunched on top of her, alternating from frowning down at her, to glaring at the men by the bushes.  
"Hmph...." Lotor let go of her arms, but still stayed on top of her. "I suppose they already knew we were here...but you just helped to confirm it..."  
"I'm sorry!"   
"So how many are there?" Lotor asked, ignoring her apology.  
"Wha...um three..." Allura replied, feeling foolish, "And you're clone isn't out there." She wouldn't have missed seeing someone who looked like Lotor! "And uh...they're Drule..."   
Lotor let out an angry hiss of air. He figured they couldn't have been Allura's soldiers since they fired on her, but still...it was shocking to think his own men would open fire on HIM. And why would they attack Allura? They were supposed to know better! Unless...Lotor scowled, hoping his suspicions would prove false.  
"Lotor?"   
He glanced down at her, and gave her a smile, attempting to reassure her. "So the clone is not out there, eh? So much the better for us. Three against two...not bad odds...IF we can get their guns away."  
"Yeah....but how?" asked Allura, wishing she had gone back to retrieve her lost pistol.  
"I may have an idea...." Lotor said, leaning forward to whisper it into her ears. The young princess had a hard time focusing on his words, all to aware of his body pressing down on hers. She could feel every muscle, and was sorely tempted to caress his bare chest. His hair had spread out across his back like a white cape, a few strands brushing against her face, tickling her nose.   
Her hand was moving, almost of it's own accord, to stroke the back of his head, when he suddenly pulled back. "Got it?"  
Blushing, she nodded rapidly, pulling her hand away as though she had been burned.  
"Good, then go!" He got off her, crawling off to the right. Allura just lay there for a few seconds more, staring up into the sky, before she finally moved. She crawled off to the left, making sure to keep hidden behind bushes and trees, as she searched out a suitable sized branch.   
"Men, stand down!" She heard Lotor order, cautiously stepping out from behind a tree. He boldly approached the three Drule soldiers, arms down by his side, appearing relaxed and at ease. But ever ready to unsheathe his sword at the slightest sign of trouble.  
"Not one more step Lo---impostor!" hissed one, all three aiming their guns at him.  
"Impostor?" Lotor arched an eyebrow, looking surprised. Inwardly he was fuming. _~Oh Hagger! You can't even tell the difference between me and my clone?!~_ "But it is I, your Prince. The future ruler of Doom."  
"Don't think you can fool us with your words!" hissed one of the men, taking the safety off his gun.  
"Apparently not..." murmured Lotor, thinking perhaps he had been the fool after all. Maybe Zarkon and Hagger had indeed decided to go through with the plan of replacing him with his clone. If that was their game, he wouldn't let them go through with it. Not without a fight. His eyes narrowed, his face taking on an incensed look of rage that frightened the men.   
"He's going to attack!" One screamed, prematurely shooting off his gun.  
Lotor cursed, and dodged the laser blast, getting a tree between him and the men. "You would shoot me without fair trial?!"   
"It's not our job to think." One said, glaring at the shooter. "We just follow orders."  
"And then, what is your orders?" asked Lotor. "To kill me, or bring me back alive? If it's the latter, I will go with you."  
Allura stifled a gasp of protest. _~Lotor surrendering?!~_ She couldn't believe it. Actually she could...he would do that, just to prevent the soldiers from finding her! _~That idiot!~_  
"It doesn't matter." shrugged the apparent leader of the guards. "Hagger said she can examine your body just as easily if you were a corpse."  
"I see we can't settle this peacefully then." Lotor said chuckling.   
"No...throw down your weapon, and come out..." ordered the leader.  
"Lotor don't!" shrieked Allura, and from the direction of her voice stones flew, pelting the guards.  
"ALLURA!" snarled Lotor, thinking, _~That idiot!~ _  
The guards started wildly blasting the air, one arm thrown over their faces to protect against the stones. With a sigh, Lotor activated his lazon sword, and sped forward, swinging wildly.   
"ARGH!!" cried the leader, as his hand--the one holding the laser gun--was neatly sliced off. Before it hit the ground, Lotor kicked it, punting it off into the bushes somewhere.  
Hysterically over the lost of his hand, the leader slumped to the ground, sobbing incoherently. The other two realized they had bigger problems to deal with then a rock shower, and turned to fire at Lotor. The prince began backing away, using his sword to deflect the blasts that got too close.   
"I'll deal with him." The taller guard said, sneering at Lotor. "You go find the girl."  
The shorter one broke away, heading towards Allura's hiding spot. The princess threw one last rock at the man, seeming to have run out of ammunition at last. He smirked, thinking it an easy kill. "Come out little one..." He cooed, approaching the bushes cautiously. "I have something for you..."   
_~I have something for you too...~_ Allura thought, watching him stalk closer to her.  
He bent slightly, using the nozzle of his gun to poke the bushes, expecting to hit soft flesh. He found nothing but a slight resistance from leaves. Frowning, he stepped over the bush, eyes searching to see where the girl could have gone. _~There she is.~_ He thought, spotting the stirred up dirt that led off to the left. He let out a low chuckle. "Come out, come out wherever you are...."  
Allura decided to oblige his request. "You guys really need to work on your timing!" screamed Allura, popping up from behind a tree to the right, a thick branch gripped in her fists. Issuing a challenging yell, she swung and connected, her leafy weapon smacking into the back of the Drule's skull.  
He grunted, taking a woozy step backwards. Allura swung again, this time smashing her branch into the front of his face. She hit him again and again, using the anger she felt over the guard's arrival interfering with her confession to Lotor. In fact...she might have been a little too overzealous in her beating, continuing to hit the guard long after he fell unconscious.  
"WELL!!" Allura huffed, staring at the man. "He deserved it!" She knelt down, forcing his fingers to release the grip on his gun. "Let's see if this thing has a stun setting...." It did, and she set it to that, blasting the unconscious guard once for good measure. "Hopefully you don't have any clone DNA, so you should be out cold for the next few hours."  
She stood, and ran towards where she had last seen Lotor and the other soldier. They were still going at it, the man firing repeatedly, Lotor dodging the blasts. Neither was able to get close enough to end the stand off---the gun keeping Lotor from getting near enough to run the soldier through with his sword--the shooter not being able to successfully blast the prince with a laser shot.  
"It looks like it's up to me to settle this." murmured Allura, liking the thought of playing the rescuer instead of the helpless princess very much. She took careful aim, gun sight following the shooter, as she slowly pulled back the trigger. The man was hit in the back, and he fell down with a cry. She blinked, and saw Lotor standing there open mouthed, looking at her in shock.  
She shrugged, smiling sweetly. "Now what do we do?" She asked, and then shot the injured soldier, his screams mercifully dying down as he entered a forced state of sleep.  
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Ah Gomen, gomen (sorry, sorry) for such a long wait between chapters. This story was stumping me over what to do next. Well...I hope the next chapter won't take as long to work on. And I am very hopeful this story won't turn out to become a monster fic like my other Lotor-Allura one turned out to be.  
Um....I answered this in the reviews, but I don't know if anyone reads those...  
Katrina asked--well mentioned about the Lotor clone mood swinging so rapidly into hating Allura. He's like a little kid that way. You know how children are with the, "See it, want it, have it." And we've all seen the kind of temper tantrums they can have when they get told NO. The clone...although full grown, still only a few days old...he may have a lot of Lotor's knowledge, but no one bothered to help him get a handle on his emotions. And the thing is...he's a lot bigger than a child...and can do way more damage than a toddler...I suppose if Allura was to be nice to him (*big cheesy grin.*) he'd get over the hate real fast. Who knows...before fic's end, we might have another Allura-clone scene! And definitely more Lotor-Allura action! ^_-  
  
  
  
  
  



	12. Death and Betrayal

  
World Event Productions still own Voltron and all related characters. And yes, I still would like to be the one to own Lotor. WEP can keep the rest, just give me my blue beefcake! ^_-  
As for the story itself, it has it's origins in a certain Voltron episode, the one that introduced Lotor's clone. It is indisputably, the one episode that drives me absolutely batty, with all of it's inconsistencies. Since when is Lotor a coward, afraid to fight his own battles?! They spend so many episodes hailing his tough guy image, establishing him as the ultimate warrior of the Galaxy, only to forget this detail? Not only was the reason for the clone's existence wasted, but so was the clone! So, it's my turn to try and work some fanfic magic. Enjoy!  
----Michelle  
  
  
  
Except for the hum of the ship's powerful engines, and the click clack of fingers flying over a keyboard, the bridge of the Doom ship was quiet. Occasionally someone would issue a deep sigh of boredom, or a nervous cough but then silence would resume. Hagger didn't blame them for their discontentment, even she was beginning to yearn for something to happen. That was the bad thing about having a seemingly impossible to beat robeast...it left the crew onboard the ship with little to do, except watch and wait.  
And the waiting had long since grown past tedious. The witch was beginning to tire of watching her latest creation walk towards the Castle of Lions at what seemed a snail's pace. She yearned for some sort of diversion, something to do, or someone to gloat over. She looked over at Lotor, who sat slumped in his command chair, his feet propped up on the control panel before him. His eyes were clouded with anger, his lower lip jutting out in a pout, fingering a dagger as he stared at an empty spot on the wall.   
Sullen and rude, even more so than usual, the Prince refused to talk about exactly what had happened when he had confronted the clone. Or for that matter, what form of rejection his latest encounter with Allura had taken.   
"Prince Lotor....Hagger..." A technician said, the sudden sound of his voice startling the witch. She glanced at Lotor, who gave no sign of having heard anything, now prying the blade underneath his nails. She shook her head in annoyance, looked at the waiting technician, and snapped, "WELL?!"  
"There's something coming up on radar..."  
"Impossible." Hagger said, her tone dismissive. "With the field set up by the Robeast, nothing can take flight save us. Nor can any weapons be fired to harm it or us."  
"I didn't say it was a ship." The man said reproachfully, his unsaid words implying she should have waited for him to have finished. "It is someone or something approaching on foot...."  
"We have confirmation that it is indeed several people." Another man called out.  
"It's probably the foot party we sent out to kill the clone." Hagger said. "Can we get a visual up on screen?"  
The technician nodded, having already turned back to his keyboard. "They will be in camera range in several seconds..." In one corner of the view screen, a small box opened up, the image that of the forest that lined part of the ravine. Right now, they could not see the two figures making their way through the dense foliage,only two blurs of yellow and red--body heat signatures picked up via the infra red sensor's of the cameras.  
"It appears there are only two figures..." Hagger pointed out. "I thought we sent out more men than that."   
"Perhaps they split into parties." Was the suggestion offered up. "Or perhaps the clone killed some of them off..."  
"Just so long as they killed him before returning!" Lotor snarled, the mention of the clone being enough to grabbed hold of his attention. "If not, I will be most creative in punishing them for their failure."  
"Would you settle for them bringing back the clone alive?" asked Hagger, as the two men emerged from the forest, technicians immediately magnifying the image to one hundred times it's size. They could see but only one Drule soldier, rifle drawn, it's nozzle in the back of the shirtless clone. The clone, hands cuffed behind his back, walked slowly, head turning every so often to glare angrily at the soldier.   
"No...." hissed Lotor, leaping to his feet. "He still lives..."  
"A condition that is easily remedied." Hagger assured him. "Prepare to let them on board..."  
"No, kill him now!" snapped Lotor. "Fire the ship's weapons, and obliterate him! I command you!"  
"Wait!" cried out Hagger, and the crew hesitated, glancing back and forth between their prince and the witch.  
"What is it, old woman?!" Lotor demanded, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "I thought you wanted him dead."  
"Indeed I do, young sire. However, do remember that I wish to examine the body. If you were to unleash the weapons of this ship on that being, I fear there would not be enough left for me to experiment on." She explained.  
"Hmph. I don't see why you need to study such an inferior thing." Lotor grumbled.  
"It is that very inferiority that arouses my curiosity" replied Hagger. "I want to know what went wrong with it...why it would not follow orders..."  
"I don't care about any of that. I want to kill him, and kill him now!" shouted Lotor, fingers curling into fists.  
"Please Prince Lotor..." Hagger said beseechingly. "Allow me this small favor...you can always kill him once he's on board...it will be so much more satisfying if you were to personally sink your blade into heart, rather than zap him with a laser...."  
"Ah, old woman, you do know how to appeal to my baser instincts..." He smirked. "Very well...I grant permission. But..." Lotor said warningly. "No one gets to kill him but me!"  
"Yes Prince Lotor." Hagger smiled, though to those watching it looked more like a grimace. "Establish contact."  
"Right away ma'am." One of the technicians set out to work, keying in the various beeps and boops of the Drule's version of Morse Code. The signal was picked up by the transmitter of the soldier on the ground, and in return, the soldier punched in the correct sequence.   
"We have confirmation of identity." The technician said, satisfied with the response. "Shall I proceed to bring them on board?"  
"Yes, yes, yes." Hagger said impatiently. Lotor nodded, staring intently at the figures on the view screen. A low humming filled the room, as a golden light was sent out, encasing the captive and his guard in a thick beam. The light flickered, and then shone brighter, and the two disappeared, only to reappear on board the ship. The Drule soldier stepped back, dizzy from the unsettling process of transmutation.  
"Uh...." The soldier hastily offered up a salute. "Prince Lotor, sir! I have returned with....with the traitor..."  
"Yes, I can see that..." His golden eyes were filled with glee, as he gestured the guard towards him with two fingers. "Bring him here."   
"Get a move on..." The soldier said, voice sounding gruff and hoarse. "NOW!!" He barked angrily, prodded Lotor forward with his gun.  
"You'll pay...." The captive Lotor hissed, and his eyes narrowed into a glare. The men nearest to them quickly looked away, trying to repress the shiver of fear that ran down their spine. "All of you...."  
"Yeah yeah...quit stalling!" The soldier shoved him forward, and slowly they made their way towards the command dais. Lotor, arms crossed over his chest, was watching with a gloating smile, while Hagger stood a few inches behind him, gripping her staff with one hand.  
"My liege..." The soldier said, upon reaching the top step. "Hagger...."  
"You're a little short for a Doom soldier..." Hagger said, staring suspiciously at the small man, the top of his head not quite reaching the shoulders of his captive. "What's your name...?" She said trying to catch a glimpse of his face. The soldier kept his head bowed---be it respect, or something else, she could not know for sure. What she did know though, was that the visor of his helmet was down, covering his eyes, and leaving the lower half of his face in shadows. "Your name boy!" She barked again. "Who are you?!  
"I...."   
"What does it matter, so long as this little one caught us our prey..." The Prince said, putting a temporary end to this exchange. Eyes locked on his clone, Lotor strode forward, closing the small gap between them.. "Well...." There was a smirk on his lips, as he looked over his mirror image. "I see we meet again. And this time you won't survive the encounter."   
The captive Lotor's eyes were filled with utter contempt for the man before him. "You speak so boldly now, when before you behaved as a coward would." He calmly said in reply to the other's threat. "I take it you no longer feel like running from me, now that you have others around for protection?"  
The other Lotor let out a sharp intake of breath, sounding very much like a hissing snake. "You dare mock me?!" His golden eyes narrowed, and he roughly gripped his twin by the chin, bruising the skin beneath his fingers with the force of his grip. "Here? Now? When I can easily snuff out your life with a mere twist of your neck?"  
"You can do that, yes..." He agreed. "However, I will still have the satisfaction of knowing you couldn't beat me in a fair fight."  
"Pah!" He released his grip, shoving his clone away from him. "You seek to goad me into doing something foolish..." He smirked. "I will not be freeing you from your constraints for one last duel. You die now..." He held up the dagger, it's curved metal blade glinting as it reflected the over head lights. "And as you take your last breath..." His voice lowered to a whisper. "I have the satisfaction of knowing while I couldn't have her, neither will you!" The arm holding the dagger, suddenly came down in a stabbing motion, and he dimly registered a female gasping in horror.  
"You know...." The shirtless Lotor said, muscles straining as he broke free of his cuffs. "You talk too much!" He caught hold of the hand that held the dagger in a two fisted grip, struggling to keep the blade from driving into his skin.   
"I'm surprised you had the strength to get free!" cried the other Lotor, free hand grabbing at some of his opponent's silky hair. "You there! Don't just stand there, do something!" He yelled at the guard who had escorted Lotor onto the ship. He then heard Hagger shriek, "You fool, you'll hit them both!" Sparing a glance at the short soldier, he was chagrined to see him aiming the rifle at both of them.   
"Hagger, stop him!" He commanded, the two Lotor's never ceasing in their struggle for even one-second. Hagger let loose with an energy blast from her staff, forcing the soldier to dodge, just as he pulled the trigger. Neither laser nor magic hit their intended target, Hagger's voice screaming curses in the back ground, while the soldier dropped the rifle, it's nuzzle melted by Hagger's spell.  
"Idiot..." He muttered, still trying to drive the point of the dagger into Lotor's chest. "First he doesn't make sure your cuffs are secure..." He was gratified to see the metal pierce Lotor's flesh. "And then he almost shoots me! It's a wonder he even managed to capture you at all..." His eyes widened as he came to a realization. "Unless you wanted to get caught..."  
"You get points for trying..." Lotor gritted his teeth, pushing the dagger away from him, a thin trickle of blood oozing down his chest. "But you still haven't been able to figure it out entirely..."  
"You had help?!" He said accusingly, stumbling upon another piece of the puzzle.  
"Of the very best kind!" Lotor then brought up his knee, and slammed it between the other Lotor's legs. The Drule let out a loud moan of pain, the force behind the stabbing dagger losing some of it strength. Lotor managed to shove his look alike away, although the hand gripping the dagger did not drop it. Before he could even think of his next move, a powerful blast of energy hit him in the back.  
"On your knees!" cackled Hagger, staff pointed at him. His body was enveloped by misty white energy, and against his wishes, he felt his knees start to bend. "Prince Lotor, shall I kill him for you?!"  
"Hagger you idiot!" muttered the magiked Lotor. "I'm the real Lotor!"  
"Leave him alone!" A very female voice cried. The short soldier ran forward, and swung the ruined rifle at Hagger's head. It connected, and only because of Hagger's magically amplified stamina, did the witch not fall unconscious. "YOU!!" The witch bellowed, turning to glare hatefully at the soldier. "I should have known!" The helmet dropped to the floor, revealing the face that had driven many a male mad with desire, including a certain prince.   
"Should have known what, old witch?" demanded Allura, holding the rifle like it was club.   
"When you refused to give your name!" hissed the witch. "Any other Drule would have been eager to claim fame and recognition for the capture...but not a spy like you!" Her free hand suddenly swiped out at Allura, fingernails just missing the princess' face. "And it's your fault the clone went berserk, ISN'T it?!"  
"I think he was crazy long before I ever came on the scene..." Allura said, backing nervously away from Hagger.  
"You charmed him with your feminine wiles!" continued Hagger, hatred in her eyes. "Corrupted him like you did the prince...that's why you're here, isn't it? You thought to use my creation against us!"  
"Hagger, you are twisting everything about! And that isn't the clone, but the real Lotor!" Allura shouted at the incensed witch.  
While the two women argued, another fight was occurring on the dais. With Hagger distracted, her spell on Lotor had faded away, and he immediately charged toward the clone. "That was a dirty trick!" The clone said, his privates still aching.  
"You're one to talk after all you've done!" retorted the shirtless Lotor, eyeing the dagger his clone held. There was no hesitation on the clone's part, he pressed forward with his advantage. "Yah!" He threw a punch with one hand, the other hoping to get the dagger into the side of Lotor's neck. The prince didn't fall for the trap, instead of dodging into the path of the blade, he turned slightly, allowing the punch to land against a shoulder. His shoulder protesting against the pain, he stepped on the clone's foot, and completed the turn, hand reaching for the one that held the dagger. He clamped his fingers around the clone's wrist, giving a vicious wrench of the arm, as he twisted it behind the clone's back.  
Growling angrily, the clone tried to reach behind him with his free hand, trying to slap Lotor senseless. It was then that the angry Hagger managed to knock Allura down, the princess roughly hitting the floor, the result of a stun spell. "Hagger stop!!" Lotor commanded.  
"Lotor, what..." Hagger whirled around, bringing her staff to aim at the two Lotor's. "Let him go!" She snapped, seeing the shirtless Lotor holding onto the fully clothed clone. "Or else SHE dies...!"  
"Don't be an idiot witch!" snapped Lotor, straining to keep his hostage under control. "If you kill Allura, I will kill you!"  
"..............." She kept her staff focused at the two Lotor's, still hesitating. "If you kill Zarkon's son, my life won't be worth anything!"  
"You dimwitted old woman, if you kill him, you will be killing Zarkon's only heir!" Allura cried out, unable to move, trying to fight the strong feelings of lethargy the spell had forced on her.  
"Don't listen to them!" shouted the captive clone. "They would say anything to save themselves!"  
"Hagger, surely you have a way of telling the two apart?" Allura's eyelids fluttered rapidly, the princess managing to give a slight shake of her head. "Some scientific means in case of a mix up?"   
"............." Hagger was silent, appearing to consider the young woman's words.  
"I'm the real Lotor!" shouted the clone, and with a sudden burst of adrenaline, he managed to free himself from Lotor's grip. The dagger dropped to the floor."I'll be the only Lotor that matters once you're dead!" He turned around, and grabbed hold of Lotor's arms, dragging him to the edge of the dais.  
"What are you doing asshole?!" demanded Lotor, trying to pull free. "We're not high enough to do any fatal damage!"  
"Lotor!" Allura cried out, her voice stronger now. "Why isn't anyone doing anything?!"   
"They're not fools." Hagger said, eyes fixed on the struggling Lotor's. "They know who ever survives will be by all rights the new Crown Prince of Doom...it would be suicide to offer help to one who might prove to be the loser...."   
"But..that's...horrible..." Allura murmured, recalling Lotor's words of how he feared his father might look to replace him with the clone.   
"No, it's natural selection." retorted Hagger grimly. She knew that if the clone was the victor, all would agree to never speak of what had happened this day---and to those who would not, she would take care of them personally. Few if any would ever risk allowing Zarkon to learn that his son had died while they stood idly by. She didn't even want to think about what Zarkon would do if he found out it was a creation of hers that prove the instrument of Lotor's demise.   
The clone let out a low chuckle of laughter, eyeing the floor just a few feet down from where they stood. "NO!" Lotor cried out, seeing his cursed twin's intent. "Yes..." whispered the clone in reply to Lotor's horror. He then shoved Lotor forward, and one of the prince's feet touched air, his arms flailing for something to grab onto. The clone let out a gasp, as Lotor's fingers found purchase around his wrists.  
"You'll drag us both to our death!!" He screamed, trying to keep from being pulled forward. "LET GO OF ME!!"  
"Not until I'm dead!" shouted Lotor, trying to simultaneously stay on the dais, and knock his clone off. The clone's eyes were wide with panic, as one foot left the safety of solid ground. "I..." He let out a scream as Lotor gave one last heave, and shoved him off the dais, the clone thinking too late to grab hold of the prince.  
Down he tumbled, slamming into the ship's back up power auxiliary. The casing around the large motor splintered and cracked, sparks shooting up, electrical currents coursing throughout the clone's body. But he was beyond feeling that, focused instead on the dull ache in his back, the blood pooling out and down from his wound...over the metal stake he had imbedded himself on---the same fate he had planned for Lotor.  
It wasn't really a stake, but the rounded top of one of several inoperative pistons, it's edge being blunt enough to have kept from going through the clone's body. The clone stared at Lotor with unfocused eyes, his vision blurring and dimming, and with one last gasp of pain fell silent.   
Lotor stared down at his own face, watching as it's eyes closed in death, it's body stiffening. First thought to be settling into rigor mortis, it turned out it was dissolving...turning back into the bubbles it had started out as...He stared in grim fascination, watching as clone turned into a liquid mess, no trace of him remaining except for a bloody uniform.  
The real Prince of Doom was the one to break the deathly quietness that had fallen over everyone on board the bridge. "Now do you believe I am the real Lotor, old witch?" He said this ironically, placing his hands on his hips, and arching an eyebrow.   
"Oh Prince Lotor...forgive me..." Hagger said, slowly walking towards him. Allura breathed a sigh of relief, having recovered enough to push herself up to a sitting position, while Hagger babbled on, trying to excuse what she had done. "I..it...it is not hard to see why I did what I did...he was just so convincing...although I guess I should have been surprised when he said he didn't care if I killed the princess....." Hagger gasped. "The princess!" She whirled around, and aimed her staff at Allura. "Don't move dearie! You're Prince Lotor's prisoner now!"  
"Hagger...as always, you have got your facts wrong. I am..." Allura trailed off from her explanation when amused laughter from Lotor was heard. "That's right Allura...you're MY prisoner now." He tossed back his head, the laughter emerging from his lips full of pleasure, with a slight mocking quality to it. Hagger joined in, letting out a few nervous titters at first, before giving full reign to gleeful cackles. Allura's lips parted, her mouth hanging open in shock, the betrayal she felt showing in her blue eyes.  
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Let's all mourn for the clone....poor, poor, evil Lotor clone...aw...  



	13. 13

  
World Event Productions still own Voltron and all related characters. And yes, I still would like to be the one to own Lotor. WEP can keep the rest, just give me my blue beefcake! ^_-  
As for the story itself, it has it's origins in a certain Voltron episode, the one that introduced Lotor's clone. It is indisputably, the one episode that drives me absolutely batty, with all of it's inconsistencies. Since when is Lotor a coward, afraid to fight his own battles?! They spend so many episodes hailing his tough guy image, establishing him as the ultimate warrior of the Galaxy, only to forget this detail? Not only was the reason for the clone's existence wasted, but so was the clone! So, it's my turn to try and work some fanfic magic. Enjoy!  
----Michelle  
  
  
  
The image of Lotor laughing---laughing at her, was seared into her mind, nothing would ever be able to compare to the pain and humiliation she felt at this very moment. He had betrayed her...all his talk, his promises to her, had been a lie. Lotor had played her from the start, and like a naive little fool she had believed him!  
Allura could barely process how swiftly the change had come about. One moment he was the somber victor, gazing down stone faced at the dead body of his clone, only to transform into the cocky, arrogant prince a second later. "Mine Allura..." He told her, his voice heavy with meaning of what exactly such an ownership would entail. "All mine..."   
"No..." Allura said dully, as he advanced towards her, brushing past a grinning Hagger. "No." She repeated with some force, pulling her knees up against her chest, her hands scrabbling for purchase behind her. "NO!!" She screamed, managing to somewhat stand despite not being fully recovered from the witch's spell. And with one step backwards, her cry of no went from protest, to wild panic as she felt the ground go out from under her feet.  
"Allura---no!" Lotor cried, echoing her panic. His long arm reached out, snagging her by the wrist, keeping her from toppling down the stairs. His golden eyes stared into her blue ones, and she blinked, desperate to keep unshed tears from falling. _~Oh just let me fall.~_ She thought. _~It would be easier to deal with death than cold, harsh reality.~_  
But he didn't let go. Instead, he slowly pulled her in, one arm sliding around her waist. He didn't crush her against his chest like she had expected, and Allura hated herself for wanting that small comfort. At least then she could bury her face against him, hide away from the leering eyes of the enemy soldiers. Once he was sure she was safely on solid ground, his arm slid away from her waist, the only contact they had being his grip on her wrist.  
"Well Hagger?" Lotor said, all business now. "What's our standing? How are things proceeding?" She was jerked along behind him, brought closer to the wicked witch.  
"Our main plan is going along splendidly....even with the unforeseen happenings with the clone..." Hagger said, smirking at Allura. "As you can see..." She gestured at the view screen. "The robeast is proceeding without hindrance, his field making it impossible for Arus to mount a defense."  
"Even if they could, they would not be able to form Voltron." Lotor said, deeply satisfied. "Isn't that right, my pretty little captive?"  
Allura ignored him, staring at a spot over Hagger's shoulder. She did not trust herself to speak, afraid she would further embarrass herself with demands that he explain his actions. Be even more of a joke than she already was by asking what of his love for her.  
Her silence didn't seem to bother Lotor in the slightest. "And Captain Akira won't be much of a problem either." announced Hagger. "My robeast has taken quite a shine to the young captain...you could say he's putty in it's hands!"  
Lotor let out a delighted laugh. "Excellent. Two lions down, and the castle about to be demolished. Arus won't recover from this."  
"Control is almost ours..."  
"Almost?" He interrupted. "It is inevitable." He whirled Allura around to face him, and took hold of her jaw with his fingers, forcing her to look at him. "We shall retire to my personal chambers." Several of the men on board laughed at this. "And usher in the new leader of Arus with a private celebration." For one dizzying moment, she thought he was going to kiss her, her legs trembled, her body unable to keep itself up.   
"Princesses..." Lotor said with an indulgent chuckle, as he easily held up the swooning princess.  
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The princess was dimly aware of being carried, nestled in the embrace of strong arms, the smell of spice and sandalwood, with a faint whiff of after shave helping her to identify the man as Lotor. _~Of course.~ _She thought bitterly, keeping up her pretense of being unconscious. _~Who else but he? It's not as though he would allow anyone else to touch his precious prize.~_  
Again she inwardly berated herself for being so stupid, all the while concentrating on keeping her breathing even. The sound of Lotor's booted heels against the floor came to a stop, he setting her down, but not letting go, trapping her limp body between himself and the wall. He did this, not to molest her, but to open a door, his hands fumbling in his pockets in search of a key to unlock it.  
Allura heard the telltale sound of the lock being turned, and felt herself being lifted again. She tried to keep from stiffening up, knowing she needed the element of surprise to get away. She strained her hearing for sounds, footsteps now faint--muffled by a carpet, the door swinging shut, it's hinges well oiled so as not to make a sound. And the lock? She did not hear it click! Hope surged, that there was a chance the door remained open!  
A few seconds more passed, and the princess felt herself being lowered down, feeling cool silk against what little of her skin was exposed. She didn't need to feel the soft down pillow cushion her neck, to know he had placed her on a bed. _~That pervert doesn't waste any time!~_ She thought, fuming. Her flesh goose pimpled, and it was all she could do to keep on breathing normally, as she anticipated his hands reaching for her body.  
But the groping never happened, the torment of waiting seeming unbearable. _~This is it.~_ Allura thought, feeling more weight added to the bed. If her eyes weren't already closed, she would have squinched them up real tight. All this tension was for naught, for instead of doing something fiendish to his helpless prisoner, she heard the sound of Lotor rummaging through something.  
_~What...?~_ Allura thought, slowly opening one eye. She saw Lotor had his back to her, digging through the drawers of the bureau by his bed. She slowly sat up, careful to keep from shaking the bed too much, glancing frantically about the stately cabin, and her eyes fell on a discarded bottle on the floor. _~A weapon!~_  
Eyes darting back and forth from Lotor and the bottle, she eased towards the edge of the bed, cringing all the while, sure the prince would turn and catch her. She couldn't believe her luck when her fingers grazed against the glass of the bottle. One last nervous look at him, all the while chewing on her lower lip nervously, she took hold of the object.  
Lotor was just turning, something clutched in his hand, when she brought the bottle down against his head. He let out a shout of pain, hands flying to cover his face, and she leaped off the bed. She literally flew across the room, eyes burning holes into the doorway that meant her freedom.  
"ALLURA!" Lotor yelled, angry, and in pain. He lowered his hands tentatively, and uttered a curse, staggering to his feet. She was pulling on the door knob by then, the door opening a crack. Allura glanced over her shoulder and screamed when she saw Lotor was coming towards her. The Drule Prince managed to cross the room in just a few short strides, grabbing hold of the princess as she got over the threshold of the room. He easily picked her up, and flung her back inside the room, back turning to make sure that this time the door locked.  
"I keep telling the guys down in maintenance this door has a faulty lock, but they haven't done anything to fix it." Lotor said, and as soon as he looked at the princess, her hand slapped him hard across the face. "You monster!" Allura cried, and slapped him again.  
"That's enough!" Lotor growled, and grabbed hold of both her hands in a one fisted grip. "I'm already going to have quite the shiner from when you clubbed me with that wine bottle!"  
"Good, then maybe then your face will match the rest of your nature!" Allura said, struggling to get free, though she knew it was futile. "May you become as ugly as you are evil!"   
Lotor groaned, and shook his head in annoyance. He decided he wasn't going to dignify that with a reply, and began stomping his way towards the bed, dragging the angry princess behind him.  
"Deceiver!" She cried, tossing out all the insults she could think of. "Silver tongued devil! Narcissistic pig! You...you lousy son of a robeast!"  
"Hey!" Lotor protested, shoving her onto the bed. "Don't insult my mother that way!"  
"I'll do what I damn well please!" Allura said, and kicked out her feet. "You...you contemptuous evil man!" The soles of her feet connected with his knees, and Lotor swore. "Damn it all Allura, you're not making this easy!"  
"Good! Suffer for your pleasure!" She shot back, and tried to kick him again. He sidestepped this, and pushed her down, forcing her to lay flat on the bed. She began wiggling vigorously, blue eyes wide with anxiety, as he climbed on top of her. He straddled her, his weight keeping her legs down, while his arms pinned her hands to the bed. "And so it ends in rape..." Allura said bitterly, glaring at Lotor. "You're no better than your clone...in fact, you're worse than him! Because he never claimed to be my friend...You are worse than the scum scrapped out of the bottom of a robeast pit!"  
"You know princess, I'm beginning to think you don't like me very much." Lotor said wryly. "Will you just be quiet for a moment!"  
"Never! You may have my body, but never my silence!" shouted Allura. "I'll deafen you with my screams! I'll shout out such a fuss that youmpgh...." His mouth was on hers, cutting off her half-wit protests. She let out a whine of outrage, trying to move her head to the side, trying to deny how good his lips felt on hers._ ~My body is as much a traitor as he is!~_  
He finally pulled away, staring down at her with an expression she couldn't read. Allura glared up at him, trembling in rage. "How dare you!" She cried. "You think everything can be solved with a kiss!! Oh, I can't believe I was starting to have feelings for you!!"  
"Feelings for me?" Lotor asked with a small smile. "What kind of feelings?"  
"Besides, hatred? Nothing!" Allura snapped back. She was gratified to see what appeared to be hurt appear in his eyes.  
"Well, I'm sorry you feel that way..." Lotor let go of her wrists, and climbed off of her. She sat up, and scooted as far away as she could get from him, noting a vial of smelling salts had joined the bottle on the floor. "I guess my act was a little too convincing."  
"You're damn straight it was!" She snarled. "You are a...a..." She trailed off, blinking. "What did you say...an act?" Lotor nodded. "That was an act?!" Allura repeated. "I...I don't believe you! You've prove just how easily lies spill from your lips!"   
"Okay...I guess I earned that..." Lotor sighed, hating how she was looking at him. "But believe me when I tell you, I'm on your side."  
"Then what the hell was that earlier?!" demanded Allura with a sneer. "Why didn't you call off the attack?!"  
"If you hadn't been so interested in condemning me, I could have explained sooner." Lotor sighed. "I had to play the part of the evil prince. After all I can't let Hagger and my crew know I am going to help Arus."  
"And why not?!" She demanded, crossing her arms over her chest.  
"Because, Crown Prince or not, to help the enemy achieve victory would be considered mutiny." Lotor replied. "You have any idea would they would do, what my father would do?"   
"So what you're saying is you're not going to keep your promise after all!" Allura frowned.  
"Of course I am, but I'm going to do it secretly!" Allura was still looking at him doubtfully, not understanding his need for secrecy. "I'm going to help you escape...."   
"That's good, but what I really need to do is save my people by stopping that robeast!" Allura cried. "And I can't do that if Voltron is unable to operate."  
"So we take out the robeast." Lotor said.  
"But how?!" Allura asked, a bit of whine to her tone. "How can we fight something without technology?!"  
"We poison it." Lotor said simply.  
"Poison?!" repeated Allura. "Lotor, do you have any idea how many gallons that would entail for a creature that size?! Where are we supposed to get that much poison?!"  
"It just so happens I have that area covered." Lotor grinned at her. "Hagger has made a special concoction in case of the eventuality of a robeast going berserk and attacking us. It's contained inside several missiles loaded onto a fighter jet."  
"So...If I can land a direct hit on the robeast, it will die?" asked Allura.  
"Not die, weaken." clarified Lotor. "It won't be able to maintain it's field, it'll be too sick. You can then cut it down with Voltron."  
"And will the ship be able to fly with the corrosion field still up?"  
Lotor nodded. "Both my ship, and the fighter have been adapted by Hagger to be able to remain unaffected by the field. It's all just a matter of having a good aim."  
"Then Arus might have a chance after all!" exclaimed Allura excitedly. A bright smile on her face, she stared at Lotor, thinking she would kiss him if she wasn't still mad at him for tricking her earlier. Lotor smiled, pleased to see her look happy at last, and the sight of that made the princess' resolve melt. _~Best to let bygones be bygones.~ _She thought, and moved to embrace him.  
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End file.
